Gems of Chaos
by Lachimax
Summary: Seventeen years after the events of Alien vs. Rayman, a new threat has appeared: Dark Rayman seeks seven mysterious Chaos Emeralds which have been scattered across Rayman's world, bringing with them two hedgehogs....
1. Chapter 1 to 23

Hey all. This is my third, and currently incomplete, Rayman fanfiction. It's a Sonic/Rayman cross-over, and I plan to complete it very soon. It follows on from the previous two of my fanfictions, but there's no real need to read those as it takes place seventeen years later. This is my best fic so far, I think. Enjoy!

Oh, and sorry for the really dodgy formatting. [i] and [/i] mean italics, [b] and [/b] mean bold.

Gems of Chaos

Prologue: Creation

Many, many years ago, there was nothing but empty space and celestial bodies, such as stars and planets. There was no life, and the worlds drifted through the universe purposeless, alone.

And then there were the Ancients.

None know where these great beings originated from, or who they are. All that is truly known about them is that they had massive amounts of power, power which far exceeded that of the Gods. As a matter of fact, it was they who brought about the Gods' creation. Their power was so immense that they could manipulate time as they pleased, looking into the future and travelling into it.

The Ancients chose one particular planet as their home, one which they sensed would be of great interest in the future. It was still empty, a dead, airless rock orbiting an isolated sun. This planet they named the Crossroads of Dreams.

The Ancients set about their great work, combining their energies. And from their energies, the Lums were formed.

The first Lums were the Purple Lums, who were created to ensure the universe did not fall apart at the seams. They strengthened the bonds between the very atoms, making everything visible and solid.

Then were the Blue Lums, who also brought about all the gases in existence. From that day on, each Blue Lum contained enough air to begin any newborn creature's first breath, as well as provide extra time for those swimming underwater.

Next were the Red Lums. These contained the energy of life, energy which could heal and revitalise, but also energy which could be corrupted to form Black Lums.

Yellow Lums were created to keep worlds from descending into absolute chaos. Each planet was given 1000 of these, and on some planets they were formed into a great Heart.

Green Lums were mistakes. Green Lums could resurrect those who had fallen from the dead, a power that was never meant to exist except for the Chosen One. These were a genetic mutation from Yellow Lums.

And so the Lums came into being. They were scattered across the universe, completely invisible except for those who lived on the Ancients' homeworld.

The Ancients, however, were not finished. They created the Balance Stone, a weapon so powerful that only one could use it fully. Next they formed the race of Rays, the Limbless Beings, to carry the power of the Chosen One. They were placed upon the Crossroads.

The Ancients, exhausted from their great work, built themselves a great tomb, and fell into an enchanted sleep, deeper than any ever to come upon any living creature.

When the Ancients disappeared, the Lums drew upon their own immense power. They worked together across the stars to bring the Gods into being.

Each inhabited planet was given to one or more Gods. Master Hand took dominion of the Smash World. Farore, Din and Nayru, the Three Goddesses, took Hyrule for their own. The Deceptive One, the one with many names, the Great Pretender, was given Earth. Polokus became god of the Crossroads. The All Spark was given Cybertron. And there were many, many more, hundreds of them. Each God treated their world as they saw fit, most sculpting the landscape and creating life.

This was creation.

Synopsis: What has Gone Before

The events of Rayman 1 saw the mysterious limbless sorcerer Mr. Dark stealing the Heart of the World from its home in the Fairy Council. In the nick of time, a child of the Limbless appeared, the previously unknown Rayman. Without memory of any previous life, he ventured out on a mission to bring Mr. Dark to justice. After journeying through many lands and facing many enemies and hardships, Rayman reached Candy Chateau, Dark's hideout, and defeated him, returning the Heart of the World to its rightful place.

After that, Rayman made many friends among the people of the Crossroads of Dreams, including the fairy Ly, the frog-like Globox family, and Clark the Giant. For a few years they lived in happiness, until the invasion of the Robo-Pirates.

Rayman 2: The Great Escape took place during an invasion from a race of alien robots, naming themselves the Robo-Pirates. With their great warships of wood and metal they began their conquest of the Crossroads of Dreams, imprisoning all creatures they came across inside their enormous Prison Ship, the Buccaneer. However, Rayman was able to escape, and with the help of many friends, including the eccentric Teensies, was able to reunite the Four Masks of Polokus to awaken the fallen God himself. Polokus annihilated the Pirates on the land, but being an earth-bound entity was unably to destroy the Prison Ship. Rayman himself infiltrated the massive ship to finish the fight himself, and once all the captured slaves had escaped, defeated the Pirate leader Admiral Razorbeard in his armoured mech, the Grolgoth. Out of spite, Razorbeard set the Grolgoth to self destruct in a cataclysmic explosion that destroyed the Prison Ship utterly, allowing Razorbeard to escape into the stars, leaving Rayman for dead. Miraculously, however, Rayman survived.

In Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc, a Black Lum by the name of Andre was inadvertently created by frightening a Red Lum. Andre proceeded to build himself an army by converting thousands of other Red Lums into Black Lums like himself, which constructed clothing for themselves out of animal fur, becoming the Hoodlum Army. Andre's initial attack on the Fairy Council, however, failed, when Rayman destroyed his cloth-constructed body and Globox accidentally swallowed the Lum. Still alive inside Globox's stomach, Rayman and Globox travelled to three Teensie doctors for help. With the Hoodlum Army still running around, this was difficult to achieve. On the way, Rayman made an enemy of Reflux, a powerful Knaaren warrior, defeating him for the first time. Only the three doctors together were able to remove Andre from Globox's body, but the Black Lum quickly escaped and created an alliance with Reflux, who stole the Sceptre of the Leptys from his King in order to create as many Black Lums as Andre needed. At the last minute, Rayman killed Reflux and using the power of the Leptys converted Andre back into a Red Lum, thus ending the Black Lum threat.

This is where my fanfictions begin.

Not so long after that, the Robo-Pirates themselves returned from their homeworld, this time bringing with them several hundred times the force they had last time. With one fell swoop they took control of the Crossroads of Dreams, installing order and taking millions of slaves. Rayman was forced to build an underground resistance from the few remaining free groups, including the Knaaren and the Moskitos, and created alliances with previous enemies in order to fight a common nemesis, including Mr. Dark and Admiral Razorbeard, who had been punished for his failure in the first invasion by being stripped of his rank and imprisoned. The Robo-Pirates now purchased an extremely powerful Orbital Laser from Evil Genius Incorporated, preparing to use it to strike at any Resistance bases from above. Rayman's forces took control of a Prison Ship and piloted it up to the Orbital Laser, launching an assault on the space station. They took control of it and destroyed Commander Steelwill. On Razorbeard's prompting, they used a wormhole to travel to the Pirate homeworld, Rachara, and used the maximum setting of the Laser to destroy the dead planet completely.

During these events, Rayman and Ly have found themselves falling in love.

Returning to the Crossroads and leaving the Laser to self-destruct, Rayman quickly learnt of a new threat: Razorbeard's treachery. Having kept a cache of Xenomorph eggs, a highly dangerous Alien bioweapon, from the Pirates, Razorbeard released them among the Crossroads-dwellers, wreaking utter havoc and driving most of the populations on the main continent to extinction. Rayman and several of his friends were able to evade the Aliens. Meanwhile, Razorbeard was hunting for the Balance Stone, a powerful artifact created by the Ancients that he believed would grant him ultimate power. Returning to the Fairy Council to kill the Alien Queen, and succeeding, the group encounters Razorbeard as he scatters the Heart of the World to uncover the Balance Stone. He seizes control of it, but through Globox's last ditch lightning attack he drops it and it is seized by Rayman. Now it is revealed to him that he was in fact the Chosen One of the Ancients, and so is able to use the Balance Stone to its full potential. He resurrects the entire population of the Crossroads, wipes out all traces of the xenomorph plague, and destroys Razorbeard.

A year later, Ly the Fairy, Rayman's partner, gave birth to their daughter.

Chapter 1: Hedgehog

The daughter of the Chosen One led a relatively normal early life.

She was named Raylina, in the tradition of the limbless beings. She was brought up amongst many friends and magical beings, playing with the Globoxes almost daily. Her parents, Rayman and Ly the Fairy watched her grow with satisfaction. Every night, before she went to sleep, Ly would kiss her on the forehead and tell her:

_One day, you will grow up to be a great heroine,_

She grew and grew, developing all the characteristics and powers of a Ray and eventually becoming a teenager.

Raylina jogged through the woods, her fit, teenage body keeping pace with the Young Globoxes easily. Her purple hair swung around her shoulders, and her green lips curved in a smile. She wore a blue, close-fitting top with an "O" symbol in the centre, and black shoes.

"Where are we going?" she called to her frog-like companions.

"Into the forest!" the Globoxes chattered. "There's a fountain there we found, and we need to show you!"

Raylina shook her head in amusement at their enthusiasm.

BOOM!

One moment she was running between the trees, the next she was on the ground, ears ringing, the wind knocked from her lungs. She gasped for breath, turning onto her belly to see the destruction before her.

The six Young Globoxes lay metres away, unconscious but unhurt. Before her was a black crater, small fires burning within. It had been created by an explosion, the same reason she was on the ground now. But why was she not dead?

On the other side of the crater stood another Ray, hands raised. Raylina gasped. He was almost identical to her father. He had grey skin, yellow eyes with no pupils, red hair and different coloured clothes.

He smiled maliciously. "Ah, so THIS is the Chosen One,"

The Ray shot across the crater before Raylina could react. He gripped her by the shirt and hauled her to her feet. He took hold of her waist with one hand and raised her into the air. She struggled against his grip, but he was immensely strong and merely tightened his grip. "But you are a mere adolescent! Where is your father?"

Raylina was nearly frozen with fear, but managed to spit out a reply. "Who are you, and what do you want with my father?"

The dark Ray laughed. "I am but a shadow, created in your father's image. I am Dark Rayman!"

He tossed her against a tree as though she weighed nothing. "Take me two your father!"

Raylina steeled herself and stood up, only to be knocked down again. Dark Rayman stood over her, shadows gathering around his hands. "If you refuse to take me, I guess I can find my own way. I have no need of a whiny little girly Ray,"

He raised his hand to kill her...

What looked like a black and red ball flew through the air, striking Dark Rayman in the head. He was thrown backwards, shock on his face.

The ball landed across the crater, coming to a halt. It shifted, uncurling.

It was some sort of animal. It stood upright, and wore a pair of white and red shoes.

Dark Rayman stood up. "You again! Why can't you hedgehogs mind your own business?"

The creature smiled grimly. "This IS our business, shade,"

Dark Rayman charged across the crater, but the hedgehog raised his right hand. He was holding a gleaming, yellow gem.

"CHAOS... CONTROL!"

And before Raylina could blink, Dark Rayman was on the ground, the hedgehog standing over him. Dark Rayman scowled. "Another day, hedgehog,"

Then he melted into black shadows, which scattered and crawled into the trees.

The creature looked at Raylina with red, piercing eyes. He pulled another of those gems, this a green one, and tossed it to her. "Get that to your father, no matter what," he said, and turned to leave.

Raylina caught the gem. "Wait! Who are you?"

The creature turned his head slightly.

"I am Shadow. Shadow the Hedgehog,"

And then he was gone.

Chapter 2: The Chaos Emeralds

Raylina sprinted through the woods, back towards the fairy council, the gem clutched in her hand. It glowed from a strange light within. It was big, larger than any other crystal she'd ever seen. Its verdant colour was beautiful, sparkling in the light.

Raylina reached the edge of the woods, running out of the trees...

Right into the hands of her waiting father.

She looked up into his smiling face, his cocky, encouraging grin warming her inside. She couldn't help smiling, even as the tears streamed down her face.

Rayman's brow creased in worry. "What's wrong, Raylina?"

She wiped away her tears, and started to explain.

"...and then this thing... he called himself a hedgehog... gave me this gem and told me to bring it to you,"

Rayman looked at the crystal, staring into its depths. He was entranced. Then a splitting pain pierced his skull. He cried out, clutching his head.

[i]hedgehog eggman chaos emerald shadow sonic knuckles tails rouge amy rings ark gun robotnik[/i]

"Dad? DAD!" Raylina was screaming.

Rayman realised that he was crouched on the ground, curled into a ball. He shook his head, the flood of words and images trickling away, and stood up. "I'm okay, Raylina. Just... just remembering,"

His eyes suddenly filled with anger. "Did you say Dark Rayman?" he said quietly, almost a whisper.

Raylina nodded, afraid. She had never seen her father like this.

Rayman roared in rage. "DARK!"

Mr. Dark was working alone in his quarters when Rayman burst in, Raylina following reluctantly behind. Rayman didn't give Dark enough time to ask what he was doing. He aimed an all-out punch at his head. But Dark reacted quickly, his surprise not stopping him for more than a second. He blocked the punch, lifting his hand and producing a shield of shadows.

"What has gotten into you?"

"I'll tell you what," Rayman shouted, aiming a kick at Dark's chest. "You sending your minions after my daughter!"

Dark shook his head, confused. "What are you talking about?"

"You know very well what I'm talking about. Dark Rayman came back!"

"Dad, stop!" Raylina cried out. "It wasn't Mr. Dark!"

Both combatants turned to face Raylina.

"Dark Rayman asked where you were, dad. Mr. Dark knows exactly where you are. He doesn't need to send a minion to hunt you down,"

Rayman nodded grudgingly, turning to Dark again. "Raylina, tell MISTER Dark what happened,"

So Raylina explained again, going over every detail. When she was finished, Dark bowed his head. "I can see why you might have suspected me. But I did not send this Dark Rayman. The one I used against you all those years ago was merely a spell meant to copy the enemy's appearance and follow their every move. This is far more advanced. Someone must have gotten hold of my spell and modified it to make the Shade more intelligent, more powerful. But who? And this hedgehog figure... interesting,"

Raylina raised the gem. "He gave me this,"

Mr. Dark's eyes widened in shock. "Not possible..."

He took the gem from Raylina's hands, and his eyes widened further. "This... this... do you have any idea what this is?"

Both Rayman and Raylina shook their heads.

"This is a Chaos Emerald! And the hedgehog... He must have been a Mobian!"

"Slow down, Dark. What is a Chaos Emerald?"

Dark held the Emerald up to the light.

"The Chaos Emeralds are artifacts of immense power. One alone can give a person special powers, such as the ability to manipulate time and space, which is known as Chaos Control,"

Raylina perked up. "That's what the hedgehog said! Chaos Control!"

Mr. Dark nodded. "And if a being unites all seven Chaos Emeralds... they gain power rivalled only by that of the Master Emerald or the Balance Stone,"

Rayman asked "So, who is this hedgehog?"

"My best guess is that this Shadow the Hedgehog is a Mobian. Mobius is a distant world, many light years away. It is inhabited mostly by humans, and shows great resemblance to another human planet known as Earth, but is also inhabited by a smaller group known as Mobians. Mobians are humanoid in shape, but have many of the characteristics of animals. There are hedgehogs, cats, echidnas, bats..."

"Hang on... how do you know these things?"

Mr. Dark looked at Rayman. "I have not spent my entire life on this planet, you know,"

"So... this Emerald. Why did Shadow want it given to me?"

Dark bowed his head. "I can think of only one reason. Dark times are ahead," Then he perked up. "hmmm... I wonder..."

He strode off deeper into his laboratory, looking for something. "Aha! Here it is!"

He lifted a small, handheld screen, switching it on. "This is a device I created which looks for large sources of magical power,"

Several dots appeared on the screen. "That large one, the one near the centre, is the Heart of the World. The smaller one, the one directly in the centre, is this Chaos Emerald,"

His eyes brightened. "And there are six other dots,"

He looked at them both. "The other Chaos Emeralds are all on this world,"

Then, there was a sudden flash of white light and a loud bang. Raylina was blinded temporarily and thrown to the ground. She shook her head, waiting for her sight to come back, floundering around on the floor. Her eyes cleared, and she looked around. She saw Mr. Dark, also staring around his quarters in surprise. "Wha..."

Rayman was gone.

"DAD!"

"Not so cocky without your pet hedgehog, are you?"

Raylina and Mr. Dark spun to see Dark Rayman standing in the doorway. "Now, hand over that Emerald and no-one gets hurt,"

"WHERE IS HE? WHERE IS MY FATHER?" Raylina screamed at him.

Shadows gathered around Dark Rayman's fists. "I was about to ask you the same thing,"

Mr. Dark pushed Raylina behind him. "Look in my desk. Find a machine that looks like a metal claw. Quickly!"

Raylina backed away towards Mr. Dark's desk while he distracted Dark Rayman.

"Ah, my old master," said Dark Rayman, narrowing his pupil less eyes at Mr. Dark. "As you may have noticed, I have been much improved since I served under you,"

A blade of flames appeared in Mr. Dark's hand. "Indeed. But by who?"

"No comment," Dark Rayman replied, and charged.

Master and servant clashed, and all hell broke loose.

Raylina rummaged frantically through Mr. Dark's desk, attempting to find the claw he spoke of. Bits of laboratory equipment flew at her, thrown by the combatants' furious battling. She opened one of the drawers, and found it. "Here!" she said, tossing it to Mr. Dark.

Dark produced a ball of shadows and knocked Dark Rayman across the room with it and caught the claw in a single movement. "And the Emerald!"

Raylina threw that as well, and Dark caught it. He fitted it into the claw just as Dark Rayman leapt at him again.

"CHAOS CONTROL!"

And Dark Rayman was left facing an empty room.

"Damn it!"

He focused his anger into power...

BOOM!

...and set off an explosion, utterly destroying Mr. Dark's quarters.

Dark Rayman turned from the ruined room and began to hunt again.

Space Colony ARK, Orbiting the Crossroads of Dreams

Rayman struggled towards consciousness, blinking in confusion.

"Wha... where am I?"

A round face leaned over him. It wore circular sunglasses and had a huge, brown moustache.

"Relax, Rayman. You are safe here,"

As Rayman regained his senses, he saw that the head was actually attached to a round body dressed in a red coat. Rayman tried to move, but he was held down by bonds of steel around his hands, feet and chest.

"No! I need to get to my daughter! She needs help!"

He pulled at the steel, bending it with desperate strength.

"Now, now. We can't have any of that, can we?"

An electric current ran through the bonds, and Rayman blacked out for several minutes.

When he came to again, he found the man watching him still. "Who- who are you?" Rayman gasped.

"I? I am Doctor Eggman,"

Chapter 3: Sanctuary

Land of the Livid Dead

The ground shuddered.

The Teensie Ghosts gathered around their great tower, knowing that the time had come.

With an ear-splitting crack, the entire tower broke in half. The halves fell in opposite directions, creaking magnificently, and showing the interior of the structure in the seconds before they hit the ground and collapsed into rubble. And the ancient building, home of the Teensie spirits for thousands of years, was no more.

Left behind was a big, dark hole.

The spirits tightened their circle, moving in to peer into the hole.

Something stirred within.

The Teensies joined hands, their ghostly bodies blowing in the wind. A great globe of light appeared above the hole, illuminating its subterranean depths.

Inside was something dark. Something ancient.

Something vicious.

Whatever it was, it flapped its wings and shot out of the hole. The Spirits cast lightning bolts at it, attempting to stop it. It took no more notice of them than it would have annoying flies. It rose, revealing its shape.

It was a huge, black dragon.

The dragon flew from the hole as fast as it could, but it stopped suddenly a few hundred metres from the tower, as though running into an invisible barrier. It shrieked in rage, clawing uselessly at this obstacle. Finally, it slumped in midair, realising defeat. Then it turned to the Teensie spirits on the ground.

Time to hunt.

The Canopy, Vastfall Forests

Raylina looked around in amazement. "What happened? You did the same thing as Shadow!"

Mr. Dark nodded. "Yes. I constructed the claw device recently to mimic a Mobian's energy signature. I never got to test it, not having a Chaos Emerald handy, but apparently it works,"

They had materialized in the leaves of what appeared to be an absolutely colossal tree. The trunk had to be hundreds of metres in diameter, and extended up and down further than Raylina could see. It made her dizzy to think about how high up they were. The yellow leaves they were standing in formed a solid platform, one that Raylina didn't think she could fall through if she tried. She could see that they were in a forest of such trees, a forest that seemed to be in perpetual Autumn(the season Fall for you Americans).

"Where are we?" she asked Mr. Dark.

"We are in the Canopy, a location midway um the tallest trees of the Vastfall Forest. Your father came here once to rescue Globox,"

"Wow. He never told me that,"

"There are a lot of things Rayman never told you. He saved the world five times, you know. Once from me,"

"Yeah. Right," Raylina shook her head in disbelief. "So why are we here?"

Mr. Dark switched on the screen which displayed where the Chaos Emeralds were. "We're here to get us another Chaos Emerald. With more of them, we will be able to get Rayman back,"

"Where did he go?"

"I don't know. But we'll find out,"

Sanctuary of the Woods

Mr. Dark and Raylina walked around the trunk of the tree until they reached the other side. Here they could see that an entranceway had been cleaved from the very flesh of the tree. Or had it grown like that...?

The door was very large, surrounded by carvings of all sorts of plants. It, too, was made from wood, but there was no apparent handle or knob to open it with.

"But... this is one of Polokus' sanctuaries! How can the Emerald be here?"

Dark nodded. "Hmm... Well, the Emeralds were warped here across space, but possibly also across time. The bulk of them arrived close to the present, but it is possible that one or two may have arrived thousands or even millions of years ago. Polokus may have found the Emerald and constructed the Sanctuary especially to guard it,'

Mr. Dark stepped towards it, and placed his hand on the perfectly smooth wood. "This door has been protected magically. Brute force will not open it,"

He glanced up at the centre of the door, where a large 'O' was carved into it. "But I know what will,"

Dark seized Raylina's hand and pressed it to the the O. Both it and the one on her shirt glowed, and the door slid upwards, opened.

Inside was darkness.

Dark looked at Raylina. "Ladies first,"

The first chamber was a huge cube. The roof and walls were, again, carved with intricate representations of trees, plants and fungi.

It was entirely empty, except for the Eyes.

They were shaped like irregular ovals, and were bloodshot. They bounced up and down upon the floor, their lids like grey hoods. All were different sizes, some taller than Mr. Dark, others smaller than Raylina's body.

And they followed the duo's path across the room. Sort of.

Raylina realised something. "They're not looking at us... They're looking at the air [i]behind[/i] us..."

Dark nodded. "They are all-seeing creatures. Nothing is invisible to them. They inhabit certain places of power, but are essentially harmless unless touched. Some philosophers say that they gaze upon the Gods themselves, who stand behind us and guide our way. These particular Gods have also been named Players,"

Raylina shivered. "They're creepy,"

"They will not hurt you,"

(Writer's Note: The Eyes are actually enemies in Rayman 2, just outside the Cave of Bad dreams and also in the Sanctuary of Rock and Lava. They don't attack you, in fact they just stay still and bounce, but they creeped the hell out of me.)

The two moved across the room, coming to another door. "Beyond this door their will likely be a trial or booby trap, or many. Rayman told me of his experiences in his search for the Masks,"

Raylina took a deep breath. "I'm ready,"

Carved into the door was a sentence: Compassion is the Virtue of a True Hero. Raylina memorised this just in case it was to come in handy.

Mr. Dark opened the door, and they stepped through.

On the floor was something so ugly, so gruesome, that Raylina's first feeling was one of utter revulsion.

It had multiple legs, sticking out of many places, but none of them could reach the ground over its bloated belly. Its eyes were bloodshot, and again there were many of them. It stood in its own filth, unable to move. It was small, and had fangs sticking out of its wide mouth. Its skin was covered in warts and moles.

Mr. Dark snarled in disgust, and raised his hand to smite the creature, but something inside Raylina was touched.

"No!" she screamed. "Don't kill it! We have to save it!"

Mr. Dark looked at her in puzzlement. "But it is a hideous creature, of no use to anyone. It barely even classifies as alive,"

But then he looked past Raylina in amazement, and she too turned around. The creature was transforming, morphing, until it took the form of a huge, majestic bald eagle, towering over both of them. The eagle looked down at them both, and spoke with the sound of judgement in its voice: "You have the compassion of a true hero, Raylina. You may proceed," He stared down at Mr. Dark. "You, on the other hand, must stay behind,"

"Huh? But she needs me!"

But Raylina was already through the door.

She stood within a grand chamber, with a great, sweeping staircase leading upwards. In contrast with the dark, gloomy nature of the previous rooms, this one was well lit with light from above.

Raylina stepped forward, towards the staircase, only to have her feet swept out from under her. She landed on her back, gasping in surprise.

She had been knocked over by a vine. She looked upwards to see that the vine led upwards, towards a monster floating above her. It seemed to be composed entirely from vines, wrapping around each other to form a coherent shape. The beast was shaped like an inverted triangle, with muscular arms and a small, diamond-shaped head on top.

Gaiana, Guardian of the Sanctuary of the Woods.

Raylina rolled over just as another vine, this one barbed with large thorns, came down with great force where she had been. She sprang to her feet and ran, running up the staircase. Gaiana followed her, throwing leafy tendrils at the Ray. She dodged as best she could, leaping and rolling.

But the beast was catching up.

Her father's words, spoken when she was but a child, echoed through her mind. "In a time of need, your powers shall be given to you,"

Well, Raylina was looking around frantically, but there was no fairy around to give her the gift of power. But then, her chest began to glow silver, a ball of energy appearing there.

[i]A Silver Lum![/i]

But there was only one person who could have sent that...

[i]Go, sweety![/i] Ly's voice rang through Raylina's mind. [i]Use the power I have given you![/i]

Raylina skidded to a halt, a dangerous thing to do on a staircase. She tripped, turning over quickly and standing back up. Gaiana floated towards her, vines creeping through the air from him. Raylina pulled her hand back, opening it. An orb of blue light appeared in her palm, slowly growing until it was the size of her head. She threw it at Gaiana, and it flew through the air, landing square in the plant-being's chest. Gaiana reared back, a hole in his chest. The vines quickly sealed the hole over again, however, and the creature turned to her again, angrier than ever. Raylina tossed ball after ball into Gaiana, but he kept coming. She looked around, desperate...

A torch.

At the top of the staircase was a flaming torch.

Raylina ran again, as fast as she could. She reached the top as Gaiana was almost on her heels. Hundreds of green and brown tendrils reached to take her. Raylina tossed one last ball of energy at the beast, and then stepped behind the torch.

Gaiana reacted to quickly. He continued reaching for her, but stuch his vines straight into the flames as he did so. They caught fire, and the flames raced up the length of his vines. He shrieked in pain as the fire burned through his leafy body, until he was reduced to ashes.

Raylina slumped in relief, and then turned to the task at hand. Beyond the torch was a pillar of stone, separated into three segments. The bottom segment bore a white semi-circle crowned by three triangles, the mark of Polokus himself. The uppermost segment had an 'O' on it, the same as the one on Raylina's shirt. Raylina stepped up to the pillar. The O on the pillar glowed, as did her own. A ball of light floated down from the pillar, hovering between them. A bolt of electricity flew out from that in both directions, joining Raylina to the pillar for a moment. Then it was gone, and the top two segments slid away, revealing that the bottom one was hollow.

Out of the hollow floated a red Chaos Emerald.

Raylina climbed onto the bottom part of the pillar, grabbed the gem, and began to make her way back down the stairs, stepping around the pile of ash that had once been Guardian of the Sanctuary of Woods.

Chapter 4: Speed of Sound

The Cave of Bad Dreams

The gem glowed in Jano's claws, undimmed by the shadows that surrounded it. Jano gazed at it with his single eye in amazement, wondering how such an object had come to be in his domain, a place that some might interpret as Hell. And if his Cave was Hell, that made Jano the Devil.

He shook himself. No, he was not a Devil. Would the Devil be entrusted with the protection of Polokus' darkest thoughts?

But as the Guardian of the Cave of Bad Dreams stared into the Emeralds' crystalline depths, a dark greed grew in his heart. This gem was his now. He would keep it with him at all times, and treasure it above all his other treasures.

Jano took off his purple top hat, identical to the one worn by the Spirit of the World himself, and placed the Chaos Emerald inside.

The Canopy, Vastfall Woods

Mr. Dark was amazed when Raylina exited the Emerald Chamber unharmed and grinning. He had been certain that whatever had been within would overcome her. But now they possessed two Chaos Emeralds of seven.

But, as they left the Sanctuary, they were greeted by an unpleasant surprise.

There was Dark Rayman, standing before them, the light of anger in his eyes. "I think it's about time you handed over those Emeralds,"

Mr. Dark reached for the claw at his side, but Dark Rayman raised a hand and it flew to him. "Not this time,"

A sword of flames ignited in Mr. Dark's hand. "Then prepare to fight,"

Dark Rayman smiled. "Well, [i]master[/i], you never did give me a sense of honour or fair play. A mistake on your part. I have... friends,"

Dark Rayman raised both fists into the air, and a dark energy radiated from them. He plunged them into the tree's branches, and Raylina felt a shudder run through the massive trunk.

The entire forest began to stir. Out of every hollow, every crack, dark creatures poured. Giant, black spiders crawled down trunks. Zombie Chickens rose from the forest floor, stirred from their slumber. Black, furry, snakelike beings bounced across the leafy canopy. Small, flying, hairy orbs which made a buzzing sound flew through the air. One of the colossal trees nearby shattered, showering the forest with splinters and revealing a truly massive parasitic Thorn Root plant, one which had evidently infected the entire tree.

Creatures of Darkness.

(By the way, every one of those creatures were enemies in Rayman 2)

The fell beasts swarmed towards Mr. Dark and Raylina. Mr. Dark swore, raising his hands to cast fire at them. The two of them backed away, fighting for their lives. Raylina was terrified.

They stood back-to-back, fighting off the creatures. Dark Rayman stood and watched, chuckling.

But then, something else appeared.

A low drone echoed through the woods, coming from above. Dark Rayman looked up, and cursed.

Above, descending between the trees, was a huge, red, yellow and black warship, hundreds of metres long. Mr. Dark's immediate reaction was to think [i]Pirates[/i], but he soon realised that these were not Robo-Pirates.

From the belly of the ship flew hundreds of robots, hovering down with jetpacks. They were vaguely humanoid, being round and orange, and had machine guns attached to their arms. They opened fire on the creatures, and the creatures turned their attention from Raylina and Dark to the robots. A full-scale battle soon broke out. Raylina and Mr. Dark moved through the chaos, desperately trying to escape.

BOOM!

A loud crack that sounded like thunder echoed across the trees. The dark creatures and robots continued to battle, unperturbed, but Mr. Dark recognised it for what it was.

"A sonic boom," he exclaimed.

Then, suddenly, there was a new combatant in the midst of the battle. It was nothing but a blue blur, moving between enemies at the speed of sound. It moved through the battle, towards Raylina and Dark.

A spider dropped to the leaves before Raylina. It scuttled onto her, attempting to bite her. She barely held it back with her hands, its fangs dripping venom. Mr. Dark tried to help her, but was grabbed from behind by a Thorn Root.

With a surge of strength, Raylina flipped the spider off her and leapt to her feet. But it reacted quickly, turning back over and knocking her backwards with its legs.

She was less than a metre from the edge of the leaves.

Raylina stumbled backwards, and fell.

"NO!" shouted Dark, struggling with his captor.

Raylina fell through the air, screaming. She shut her eyes tight, and waited for the end to come.

But the blue blur detached itself from the battle and flew off the edge of the canopy after her. It shot through the air towards her, and caught her in midair.

Raylina opened her eyes, closed her mouth. She looked into the face of her saviour, who held her in his arms.

It was a Hedgehog.

Unfortunately, they were still falling.

The Hedgehog kicked off the side of the tree, flying towards another. He hit it feet first, and began to run up the trunk. Raylina buried her face in her hands, not wanting to watch.

The Hedgehog bounced from tree to tree, until they were back on the canopy. He paced her on the ground, and she finally got a proper look at him.

He looked like Shadow, but his fur was blue, with a bare patch on his stomach. He wore red shoes and white gloves.

"Shadow?" she asked.

The Hedgehog grinned. "Imagine mistaking me for that depressing loner," he said jokingly. "I'm Sonic. Sonic the Hedgehog,"

Dark continued to pull against the roots, casting spells against them, but every root he destroyed was replaced by two more.

But then, piercing through the sounds of machine gun fire and creatures dying came the roar of a motorcycle engine. The motorbike sped through the brawl, running over anything stupid enough to get in the way.

In the seat was Shadow the Hedgehog.

On his shoulder was a rocket launcher.

The bike hit a pile of bodies, riding up it like a jump, and flew through the air. In midair, Shadow fired a rocket at the Thorn Root plant. It screeched, and released Dark. Another rocket left the tube as the bike landed, hitting the plant again. It fell away, burning.

Shadow's bike sped forwards, and Mr. Dark landed smoothly in the seat behind Shadow. The two of them sped away, riding out of the battle.

But Dark Rayman stood in their way, unwilling to let them pass.

Shadow discarded his rocket launcher and drew a machine gun, pointing it straight forward. He sprayed Dark Rayman with bullets, pouring them into his chest and head. Instead of bleeding, Dark Rayman sprayed some black substance all over the place, and sank into a puddle of the stuff.

Shadow rode through the puddle, and drew the yellow Chaos Emerald from a compartment in his bike. He raised it high and muttered "Chaos Control,"

They disappeared in a flash of blue.

Chapter 5: Tales of Mobius

Sonic carried Raylina as he sprinted through the woods, leaping from tree to tree. As they moved further from the centre of the woods, the trees grew smaller and smaller, until there were none at all. The terrain grew wetter and more boggy, until finally they stopped in what Raylina recognised as the Marshes of Awakening. The water was a funny brown-green colour, and giant lily pads grew in it. The ruins of twenty year old Robo-Pirate structures protruded from the marshes, close to collapsing.

Sonic set her down on one of these lily pads. She noticed that he was quite small, shorter than her.

Sonic gazed around. "Another Emerald is near. I can feel it,"

Unknown Position, Near Vastfall Woods

Shadow and Mr. Dark did not appear where Shadow expected.

They materialised just beyond the borders of the Vastfall Woods, on a wide, grassy plain. They could easily make out the enormous trees in the distance.

Surrounding them were hundreds of the egg-shaped robots.

The instant they appeared, a burst of laserfire knocked him and Mr. Dark from the bike. Both Dark's and Shadow's Chaos Emeralds went flying. The red one flew through the air in a graceful ark, landing...

In Doctor Eggman's gloved hand.

"How nice of you to join us, Shadow,"

The Doctor hovered above them in his round flying machine, with two laser cannons attached to the sides. Both were aimed at Shadow.

The Hedgehog snarled and leapt at the Eggmobile, but Eggman dodged to the side and fired the cannons into Shadow's chest. Shadow was thrown to the ground, groaning.

Mr. Dark stood, a flaming sword in his hands. "Who are you?" he asked angrily. "Give that Emerald back!"

Eggman turned to him. "Ah, so this is the infamous Mr. Dark. I have heard of your exploits,"

A blue energy beam lanced down from the Eggmobile, immobilising Dark. He struggled against it, pushing with his mind, but to no avail.

"I know that you and I are alike. Both villainised by so-called 'heroes'. Both living on the fringes of society, our hunger for power never satisfied,"

Eggman tossed the Chaos Emerald in his hand. "Join me, Mr. Dark, and not only will we be saving this world from these freaks that call themselves heroes, but you will gain the power that you so long for!"

Shadow shook his head and looked over at Mr. Dark, knowing that Mr. Dark was not foolish enough to be swayed by those words. But when he saw the glint of greed in the dark Ray's eye, Shadow knew that Mr. Dark was lost. "No, Dark! You don't know Eggman! He doesn't seek to save this world!"

"Silence, hedgehog!" Eggman fired his cannons at Shadow again, but Shadow rolled away and ran at Dark, trying to pull him from the force field Eggman held him in. But he was reflected by the semi-translucent barrier and knocked to the ground yet again. The robots trained their weapons onto him.

Dark bowed his head. "If you explain to me what is going on, then I might join you,"

Eggman smiled.

Shadow was on his feet again.

"You're a fool, Dark," he said, raising his Chaos Emerald. "And you'll pay,"

Eggman pointed at the black hedgehog. "Stop him!"

The Eggbots fired at Shadow, their machine guns chattering away. But it was too late.

Shadow glowed with red energy, his arms to his chest.

"CHAOS... BLAST!"

A wave of red energy radiated outwards from Shadow. It swept through the squad of robots, destroying them where they stood.

Eggman crouched inside his Eggmobile, sheltered by the strong metal that it consisted of. When he looked up, his robots were wasted, blasted apart. Dark was unconscious, still inside the force field.

And Shadow was gone.

The Marshes of Awakening, near the entrance to The Cave of Bad Dreams

Sonic and Raylina were exploring further into the Marshes, following Sonic's vague sense of the Emerald's presence.

"So...um..." said Raylina with all the awkwardness of a teenage girl talking to a teenage boy. "Why are you and Shadow here?"

Sonic grinned. "Ah, now there's a story,"

FLASHBACK: Guardian Units of Nations (GUN) Headquarters, Mobius

Shadow the Hedgehog stepped into the central vault of the GUN headquarters, Rouge the Bat alongside him. His face betrayed nothing of his surprise as he noticed Sonic, his old rival, was also in the room, standing next to the GUN commander. Tails 'Miles' Prower, Sonic's loyal double-tailed fox sidekick, was also alongside him. The GUN commander nodded to Shadow, and he nodded back. "You called, Commander?"

The Commander nodded again. "Did you bring the Emerald?"

Shadow tossed it in the air once, catching it with ease. "Of course,"

"Now that we're all here, why don't you tell us what's going on, Mr. Commander?" Sonic asked with a grin.

Shadow shook his head. Sonic never seemed to grasp the seriousness of any situation.

The GUN Commander seemed to agree with Shadow, frowning.

"Recently, each of the three Chaos Emeralds in our possession have been disappearing. They were all held in high-security vaults, guarded by hundreds of our bots. And nobody seems to have broken into these vaults. No-one was caught on camera, and there are several trained on the Emeralds themselves. There is absolutely no evidence of fingerprints, points of entry, or tampering with the cameras. We did, however, find minute samples of an alien substance within the vault. Our scientists are having trouble identifying it, but it does give off a unique radiation. We have rigged a device which allows this radiation to be tracked,"

"Then why haven't you already caught the culprit?"

"Because...ah...it keeps disappearing and reappearing across the globe. It would appear that he or she has the benefit of Chaos Control. Which is where you and Sonic come in. We need you to hunt the culprit down and take the Emeralds back,"

Unknown Location, Mobius

"[i]Alright, Shadow, I'm in position now[/i]," Sonic's voice came from Shadow's communicator.

"Good. Stay there until I give the signal,"

Shadow lay crouched in the bushes, at the edge of a clearing. In the centre of the clearing was their Chaos Emerald.

After days of following the culprit's trail, they had arrived here. They knew that he must be nearby, so they had decided to set a trap using the Chaos Emerald as bait.

Shadow rested his chin on a sniper rifle, looking at the Emerald through its sight. The GUN Commander had given them permission to use deadly force if necessary, but that he would rather they took the culprit alive. Which was why the sniper was loaded with knock-out darts.

A flicker of movement caught Shadow's eye, and a dark being emerged into the clearing, the likes of which neither Shadow or Sonic had ever seen. It's hands, feet, and head floated separate from its' body.

[i]"What the hell is that?"[/i]

"Just be ready to take that thing down,"

Shadow took aim at the creature's chest as it approached the Emerald, and pulled the trigger. The dart flew through the air, thudding into the creature's body...

And passing straight through it.

Shadow's eyes widened.

The creature turned to the source of this attack, raising his fist. But they had been prepared for the dart to fail.

Sonic leapt into the clearing, running at the speed of sound headlong into the dark creature. The thing fell onto its back, but flipped quickly over and stood in a battle-ready stance.

"Now, Tails!" said Shadow into his communicator.

With that, a large net flew from the trees, wrapping itself around the creature. It fell to the ground, struggling. Tails emerged from the forest in his transformed Tornado plane, which had just cast the net at Dark Rayman.

Shadow approached them, only to see Dark Rayman break through the net and strike at Sonic. Sonic flew backwards, not expecting this attack. Tails fired at the Ray with the Tornado's cannon, only to be blasted away by a wave of dark energy.

Dark Rayman threw away the remains of the net and picked up the Chaos Emerald. Shadow could only watch helplessly as it, as well as the other six, formed a ring around the creature's body.

"Who are you?" it asked Shadow in an almost resentful voice.

"Shadow. Shadow the Hedgehog,"

Shadow charged at Dark Rayman, but the Ray cried "Chaos Control!" and disappeared in a bright flash of light.

Along with Shadow and Sonic.

The Marshes of Awakening, near the entrance to The Cave of Bad Dreams

"Dark Rayman accidentally brought us along with him when he warped to this place. The Emeralds were scattered, and me and Shadow have been trying to hunt them down. We found two, and Shadow gave one to you to take to your dad. We heard about him and thought it would be safe to give the Emeralds to him. Obviously, we were wrong. Dark Rayman has also been hunting the Emeralds, and as far as we know he has none," Sonic finished.

It was that moment that Shadow chose to appear, materialising in front of them. Raylina jumped in fright, then blushed as Sonic grinned at her.

"Bad news. Eggman is here,"

Sonic nodded. "So that's where those robots came from,"

"Yes. And it gets worse. Mr. Dark has been captured by the Doctor, and Eggman has turned him to his side. He also took the Emerald I gave to you, Raylina,"

"What!?"

"Yes. Now Eggman has one Emerald, and we have two,"

"Well," said Sonic. "We have one piece of good news. Another Emerald is dead ahead,"

And they walked up a big tree root, walking into a fold in the tree. As they turned the corner, Raylina saw three more of the bouncing eyes, staring at her, Shadow, and Sonic.

And behind them was a one-eyed being wearing a top hat.

The Heart of the World, the Fairy Council

Polokus, Betilla and the Grand Minimus stood in discussion in the chamber of the World's Heart. The large room had been repaired after the destruction Rayman in the Grolgoth and the Queen Xenomorph had wreaked upon it. There still remained in the room a small sample of the Alien's cocooning material, hanging from the roof as a reminder of what had once been.

[i]I have felt a dark disturbance in the world recently,[/i] said Betilla, lowering her eyelids. [i]Something is loose here that is not meant to be,[/i]

Polokus nodded, speaking in his gravelly voice. "I have felt it also. The Dark Spirit, Veurtoya, has been unleashed from his prison in the Land of the Livid Dead. He is held there for now by the barriers the Griskin Teensies placed there, but will be freed by his servant soon enough,"

"Can't you do something?" came the Grand Minimus' squeaky voice, his crown slipping off his head.

Polokus shook his head. "I am powerless against this being. This is what the Ancients created the Heroes for. It is down to Rayman and his counterparts to stop this hazard. And the worst part is, by the rules set down by the Ancients themselves, none of us can interfere,"

Chapter 6: Nightmare Cavern

Space Colony ARK, in orbit around the Crossroads of Dreams

When Doctor Eggman entered Rayman's prison, Rayman didn't stir, keeping his eyes firmly locked on the metal ceiling.

"Ah, so we remain uncooperative, do we?" Eggman said, turning to an electronic map of the planet below. Shown on the map were seven gem-shaped markers. One was hovering beside the planet, to show that the Emerald it represented was beyond the Crossroads' atmosphere. Two of the markers were overlapping, and another was very close. "Hmmm," Eggman hmmed, stroking his massive moustache. "So Sonic and Shadow have joined forces with your lovely daughter, are in possession of two Emeralds, and are very close to finding a third,"

Rayman smiled slightly. "That's my girl," he muttered.

Eggman saw this. "Proud of her, are you? Well, fear not. You shall be reunited with her shortly,"

He pressed a button, and the table Rayman was bound to rose so that he was in a vertical position, facing the wall.

"I will return you to the Crossroads on one condition, my extension-challenged friend. You will collect the Emerald, and return them to me. I have one already, so that leaves you six to find,"

Rayman, his head lowered, not making eye contact with the Doctor, spat "And what makes you think I'll do as you say?"

Eggman chuckled. "Ah, you and Sonic are very much alike. Very well,"

He pressed another button, and a panel in the wall Rayman was facing slid away to reveal a window that showed another room.

Rayman's eyes widened. "No!"

Eggman smiled. "I thought that would motivate you. Now, you must do as I say, or she dies,"

In the other room, strapped to a steel table in a similar manner to Rayman, was Ly the Fairy.

Entrance to the Cave of Bad Dreams, Marshes of Awakening

"You must know the name of this place to enter,"

Jano shook his skull-headed staff at the two Hedgehogs and Raylina.

Raylina was taken aback. "Excuse me?"

"If you do not know the name of this place, then you must leave," growled the cycloptic Guardian.

"We don't have time for this," Shadow said. He leapt into the air, curling into a ball as he did, and shot straight at Jano's eye in a Homing Attack. The ancient monster was quick, however. He blocked Shadow with a flick of his staff, and Shadow landed on his feet, ever graceful, sliding to a halt.

But the sudden movement had unbalanced Jano's hat. The great, purple top hat fell as if in slow-motion, landing on the damp, mossy ground.

And all seven eyes fell upon the purple Chaos Emerald that rolled out of it.

Jano was the first to break the silence.

"I see all!" He proclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at the trio. "Do you think I do not see the looks of greed in your eyes? You want to take it! My gem! You shall not have it! It is mine! It belongs to me!"

Jano picked up the Chaos Emerald, cradling it in his bony fingers. Its purple light was reflected in his single, large eye, as well as a look of intense jealousy. Mad jealousy.

"My...precious,"

Sonic and Shadow were both in unspoken agreement; this creature, if not already so, had been driven insane by the Emerald's power. Both fell into a combat-ready stance. But as they began to strike, reality unfolded around them.

The world dissolved into a swirling vortex of yellow light, transporting them to a place where Gods fear to tread.

The Yellow Portal is one of the most efficient means of transport throughout the Crossroads of Dreams. Used almost exclusively by the Teensies, who are amongst the only ones who can open them, a Portal can be used to transport one directly to their destination, or to the Hall of Doors, the great hub of Portals that leads to anywhere and everywhere, and can only be unlocked by the Council of the Teensies.

Amongst the others who had power over the portals was Jano, Guardian of the Cave of Bad Dreams.

The Cave of Bad Dreams

Raylina stared around in shock. She was in what appeared to be a cave or large tunnel. The walls were of a sheer, grey stone, which appeared to have bones embedded in it. She was standing on what looked like the spine and ribcage of some colossal dead creature, likely a snake, protruding from the wall for fifty metres. The floor below consisted of a convoluted mass of inanimate Thorn Roots, underneath a thin layer of putrid water. Images of white, ghostly spirits floated up through the floor, their mouths twisted in expressions of eternal agony. It all reminded her of something... Something she'd heard when she was young.

This place brought back old nightmares, memories of childhood fears. It got inside her head,made her shrink away from the thought of doing anything remotely heroic, anything dangerous.

And Sonic and Shadow were nowhere to be seen.

Shadow looked around, unimpressed by the grandiose attempts at horror within this cave. He had long ago come to terms with his inner demons, and so the psychological effects of the Cave did not bother him.

He cursed, realising his Chaos Emerald had been taken from him. [i]That freak show monster must have it[/i], he thought. [i]I can still warp away from this place, at least.[/i]

Shadow reached for the power of Chaos Control within himself, feeling for the energy, only to find that it wasn't there.

"Damn," he cursed aloud. [i]This Cave must prevent me from using Chaos Control,[/i] he realised.

So he began to move deeper into the Cave, in search of the three Emeralds that were now in Jano's possession.

Sonic ran through the Cave, leaping from rock platform to rock platform, sometimes running along the walls. Fear boiled within him, but he kept it firmly under wraps. Fear for Raylina. Fear for his friends, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, left alone and unprotected on Mobius. Fear for this world, under the new threat of Eggman, which he suspected had followed Sonic to the Crossroads. Fears which hadn't really bothered him before, until he entered this Cave. So he did the only thing he could think to do: He ran. As he had once told Elise, the Princess of Soleanna: "If you have time to worry, then run!"

Raylina jumped back in revulsion as she realised what the round, white platforms floating in the Thorn Roots were: huge skulls, large enough for several people to stand on. She would have to act fast: the skulls were sinking slowly through the water, and were the only way forward for her. She screwed up her courage, and leapt high in the air, curving her body into a somersault as she did, and landing perfectly on the first skull. She continued, jumping from skull to skull, until she reached a wall. The wall was covered in bones in what appeared to be a ladder. She shook her head in disgust, and began to climb.

Shadow was moving along a narrow, stone tunnel, skating on his hover skates, when a massive, bony fist reached out from a near invisible hole in the wall, and stopped him in his tracks. It wrapped its four fingers around him and lifted him into the air, dragging him back towards its hole. Shadow, winded by the sudden stop, was momentarily stunned. But only momentarily. He activated both of his skates, twisting around so that the jet outlets on the soles of his shoes were both facing the wrist of the skinny, brown arm. Flames leapt from them, burning straight through the arm. The hand flopped off, still with Shadow in it, and the stump that was once an arm retreated soundlessly into its hole. But the hand was still alive. It had dropped Shadow, but was scuttling around on the floor like a spider. Shadow hit it with a homing attack once twice, three times, until it lay still, fingertips twitching.

"This is one messed up place," he said to himself.

Sonic leapt onto an outcropping, protruding from a cliff, to find two creatures that looked like miniature versions of Jano staring at him with their single eyes. They were bouncing up and down on the spot, arms held in vaguely horizontal positions. Their mouths were closed. For now.

Sonic barely had time to react as both monsters opened their mouths wide and spewed a stream of fireballs at the blue Hedgehog. He rolled underneath the flames, and bounced off the floor, still curled into a ball. He homed in on the first creature's eye, hitting hard. The monster bounced backward, spinning in circles. Sonic turned to the second creature, which was already opening its mouth for another fireball. Sonic began to spin in a ball on the spot, aiming directly at the mini-Jano. He released the brake, so to speak, and shot forwards at a tremendous speed, canon-balling precisely into the monster. The monster was thrown backwards, dropping into the mass of Thorn Roots below. It sank quickly, one arm raised above the surface until the end.

Sonic homing attacked the other one twice more, until it fell apart before him, arms coming clean off, and turned to dust.

Raylina found herself on the edge of a great chasm. She looked down, and there was nothing below but darkness. There was an outcropping on the other side, well below her level, but it was way too far to jump.

She shivered. [i]This is all very well for Sonic and Shadow, [/i] she thought. [i]But I'm not used to this adventure stuff,[i]

While she was busy thinking, Jano's gruff voice came from behind her. "Die, thief!"

And without warning, she was pushed over the edge of the chasm.

She fell for several metres, sheer terror running through her, but then her instincts suddenly kicked in. Power ran through her body and manifested itself in her scalp, flowing into her long hair. Her hair suddenly stiffened, pointing out from her head in a circle, and began to spin like a helicopter's rotor. She gasped as she began to hover, as her father often did, slowly floating downwards. She shifted her weight forward, and so she began to move forward as she slowly fell, heading straight for the outcropping below. She turned her head carefully to look at Jano, and saw him looking at her with a calculating gaze, skull staff in hand.

She raised her hands to her mouth, stuck her tongue out, and waggled it at him.

Shadow was in a dark tunnel, having dropped into it from a hole in the ceiling. Before him was a stick with a skull on the end, poking out of the ground, and a slope, with what looked like a very slippery surface. He walked towards it, gazing down it. In the way were many gaps and pillars, but they could easily be avoided by jumping while sliding.

Behind him, the skull-stick began to move. It rose out of the ground, followed by two arms, pulling an enormous, round body and a purple, star-and-moon patterned top-hat behind it.

Jano.

A roar shook the tunnel, and Shadow span around to see Jano, jaws wide open, clutching the purple Chaos Emerald in his fist.

"This is where your journey ends, Hedgehog!"

Shadow, with nowhere left to go, leapt onto the slide.

Sonic stepped to the very edge of the tunnel he was in, to see Shadow fly past at lightning speed, with Jano in very close pursuit, roaring. Sonic leapt after them immediately, jumping onto the slide. He aimed a homing attack at the monster as he slid, bouncing off his thick skin and returning to the slide. Jano roared and slid around, [i]mid-slide[/i], and struck at the blue hedgehog. Sonic jumped over his arms and bounced off the wall with his legs, spinning towards Jano's hat. He grabbed onto the top, and clung on for dear life. Jano shook himself, attempting to dislodge the spiked blue creature. While he was distracted, Shadow struck several times at his arms in quick succession, landing on the same side of him. Jano roared in anger.

They were speeding towards a very wide gap. Before Jano realised it was there, they were right on top of it. Shadow jumped from the slide, and, drawing a knife from Polokus-knew-where, drove it into the wall. He continued to slide downwards as Jano fell into the gap, his momentum carrying him to slam into the opposite side. Sonic just managed to leap off the hat, and continued sliding on the other side.

Jano fell past Shadow, and Shadow let go of the knife, jumping from wall to wall to slow his fall.

Sonic ran down the slope, finding a tunnel that branched off. He leapt into it, and ran down it as fast as he could, hoping it led to Shadow.

Raylina emerged into a wide, open space. She had fought several of the mini-Janos, and had found her way to this room. At the end of the room was an opening, and from the opening came a faint, yellow glow.

She stepped towards it, only to have Jano fall with an enormous thud right in front of her. She jumped back in surprise and horror. He had grown enormous, far bigger than he was when they met outside the Cave.

He looked momentarily stunned, but then noticed the Ray standing before him. He swiped at her, picking her up and raising her above him in one hand. He laughed. "You think to steal from me? The Guardian of the Cave of Bad Dreams? Ha ha ha ha ha!"

"Put her down, Guardian,"

Shadow dropped to the ground in front of them, crouched on his hands. Jano eyed him. "Certainly,"

And with a flick of his wrist, he tossed the daughter of Rayman against a wall.

"No!" yelled Sonic (who had just appeared from a side tunnel) and Shadow in unison. Shadow leapt at Jano, eyes burning with rage, but Jano disappeared into the ground, cackling.

Sonic ran to Raylina's side. She was fine, just a little stunned.

"Wow," grinned Sonic. "You're almost as resilient as we are!"

Raylina smiled in answer.

The three, reunited, made their way towards the opening on the other side. When they reached it, they entered without hesitation.

Inside were mounds upon mounds of gold coins and diamonds.

"Incredible," said Shadow, flicking a coin in his hand. "It's all gold!" said Sonic.

Raylina only stared. They walked into the centre of the treasure, gazing around in awe.

With a clink, a coin rolled down between them, falling down in front of them. They spun around, to see Jano atop a mound of treasure.

"Did you know," he said, eye closed. "That your father once faced the same test in here, Raylina?"

He opened his eye. It was completely bloodshot, and the pupil had turned deepest red. "Do you want to know what he decided?"

The three Chaos Emeralds, yellow, purple, and green, appeared hovering around his body.

"You shall not live to find out,"

Jano's entire body burst into flames, flames which did not harm him. He grew, grew to a massive size, and roared with all his might.

Battle was joined.

Chapter 7: Team Scorpion

Eclipse Cannon Control Room, Space Colony ARK

Mr. Dark, wandering the space station Eggman had brought him to, had stumbled upon a huge, dark room. The doorway opened onto a walkway, hovering in seemingly empty space, hundreds of metres above any kind of solid surface.

The walkway led to a pillar in the centre of the room, which stretched down and up further than the eye could see. Attached to the pillar were a computer console and several strange, spherical objects floating above it.

Mr. Dark walked towards the pillar, contemplating its use. Despite having come to the station with Eggman, he did not trust the Professor or his promises. He had only come because he believed he could turn the doctor to his own purposes.

He still had no idea how the doctor had transported this massive space station, the size of a small city, into orbit around this planet. It must have taken enormous amounts of energy. And whatwas he going to do with it?

[i]Well,[/i] he thought, [i]This room must have something to do with it.[/i]

"A thing of beauty, isn't it?"

Eggman had hovered across the room in his Eggmobile, coming to a halt beside Dark.

Dark continued to examine the machinery before him.

"What is it for?"

Eggman hesitated.

"This... is the control console for a massive superweapon... known as the Eclipse Cannon,"

"Eclipse... Cannon?"

"A weapon that can pierce the stars. The Cannon is able to destroy entire planets,"

"Then why have you brought it here?" asked Dark, an uneasy anger building up inside him. "You intend to destroy this planet?"

"No, no, of course not. I plan to use it to ransom for the Chaos Emeralds. I'll never actually fire it,"

Eggman's expression was unreadable beneath his one-way glasses. "Of course, there is a flaw in this plan. The Chaos Emeralds are needed to power this device, and we have only one Emerald. That is not nearly enough for the Cannon to pose any real threat,"

"I thought you said you didn't intend to fire the Cannon?"

"Yes, well, we still need to demonstrate its power,"

Dark definitely didn't trust Eggman now, but he knew that getting the Cannon working was in both of their best interests.

Then he had an idea. "I think I know where we can get an energy source for the Cannon."

Treasure Chamber, the Cave of Bad Dreams

Shadow pushed Raylina behind him as Jano's burning arm swung towards them. "Hey!" she yelled in protest.

"Get down!" yelled Sonic.

Raylina rolled underneath the flaming, skeletal arm, a blue energy ball glowing in her fist. She tossed it at the joint of Jano's arm to his body. It bounced ineffectually off.

Jano laughed, his five razor-sharp teeth dripping with saliva. "Your pitiful power is no match for me! I was chosen by Polokus himself!"

A ball of white-hot flames grew in his fist, and he tossed it at Sonic. Sonic dodged, and the flames hit the pile of treasure he was standing on, melting the gold into molten slag.

Jano pulled back his arm, balled his hand into a fist, and took a tremendous punch at Shadow. Of course, he was far too slow to make contact with Shadow, who merely sidestepped, but his fist did make contact with the wall. With extreme force.

A large crater appeared in the wall, and shards of rock flew in all directions.

Jano began shooting jets of flame from his hands and mouth, melting the walls and the treasure. Only the diamonds remained untouched.

The heat in the cavern was becoming unbearable. Sweat coated Raylina's forehead, and she was finding it hard to keep moving, as she ducked and weaved under the flames. "We need to get her out of here!" shouted Sonic across the room to Shadow, over the roar of the flames. Shadow nodded, and began to go about striking at Jano to distract him. Sonic grabbed Raylina by the hand and tried to lead her out.

Even with Shadow's distractions, Jano saw them heading for the exit. A gesture with his hand caused rocks to come crashing down, blocking it.

"Damn!" yelled Shadow, striking at Jano with renewed anger.

This annoyed the massive Guardian. The flames across his body intensified in heat, becoming white-hot. They were consuming all of the air inside the now sealed-off room. This was no problem for the two hedgehogs, who could survive for a couple of hours in space (but for some reason drowned when underwater too long). Raylina, on the other hand, had no such survival function. She began to gasp for breath, and, not finding any, collapsed to the floor, clutching her chest.

Sonic ran to her side. "Raylina!"

Shadow leapt over Jano, homing attacking him as he did. He landed beside Sonic, still facing the Guardian, and handed the other hedgehog a winged, blue light. "Give her this!" he said, as Sonic took the Lum. "It will give her a little time!"

Shadow leapt back into action, and Sonic put the Blue Lum in Raylina's mouth. She breathed it in, and then fell unconscious.

Shadow was about to leap once again at Jano, when the monster raised his hands. A pillar of stone rose suddenly from the floor, slamming Shadow into the ceiling. Knocked out, Jano easily seized him in his iron grip. Sonic span around from Raylina, only to be knocked against the wall with tremendous force by Jano's fist. Jano also picked him up, so that he was holding both hedgehogs in his fists. Sonic's eyes widened.

"Now I have you in my power,"

The three Emeralds appeared around Jano's body, orbiting slowly. He brought Sonic up to his eye. "The Gems are MINE!"

"Don't... count... on it!" said Soonic, struggling in the beast's grip.

That's when a blue ball of energy knocked one of the Emeralds from the air.

And into Raylina's hand.

She stood there, Chaos Emerald in hand, barely able to stand, and yelled: "Chaos... Control!"

Time slowed to a stand-still.

Jano's flames moved in slow-motion, his colours inverted. Shadow was white, Sonic orange. The Guardian was caught mid-turn, beginning to look across at Raylina.

The female Ray tossed two more balls of energy, each hitting a Chaos Emerald. They fell away from Jano, bouncing to Raylina's feet. She threw several more, causing Jano to release his grip on Sonic and Shadow. Then she used the Emeralds to clear the rocks from the entrance. It was exhilarating, this power. She could feel the fabric of time and space flowing through her, and could manipulate it as she pleased. It was with a certain reluctance that she released this energy, and let time return to its normal pace.

Jano shrank immediately, returning to a size slightly larger than Raylina. Shadow and Sonic fell with dual thuds, then immediately leapt to their feet, circling Jano warily.

"Wow," said Sonic. "You really saved our bacon there!"

Shadow nodded in agreement.

Jano stared around at his destroyed treasure, his pupil having returned to its normal black, and lowered his gaze. "Oh, what a fool I have been,"

Then he turned to Raylina, eye on the ground. "Forgive me, Chosen One. I have wronged you greatly,"

Anguish Lagoon, the Dream Forest

Rayman trekked through the undergrowth, the radar Eggman had given him beeping insistently. It was leading him towards another Chaos Emerald, or so he hoped.

He didn't want to be doing this. He desperately wanted to be with his daughter and Ly at the Fairy Council, sipping plum juice in the shade with the Globoxes. But Eggman... words could not describe the rage he felt at the so-called [i]Professor[/i] for holding his partner hostage. It burned inside like a thousand bushfires, but at the same time he had to do what Eggman said, or Ly would suffer the consequences. He had to... but this was not what a Hero should do. A Hero should fight the threat, win. But he couldn't... he just couldn't. He prayed to Polokus and other Gods unknown to him that the world could understand that.

A tear slid down his cheek. He was going against every cell in his body helping this villain.

He was snapped out of his thoughts by the radar's more frequent and louder beeps. He glanced down at it. Apparently, the Emerald was barely thirty metres ahead. (I'm sorry for you Americans, but in Australia we use the metric system. :P)

That out it in the clearing Rayman could see just ahead. But, before he could trudge out into the open, a buzzing sound filled the air. He pushed down a branch so that he had a good view of the clearing.

A group of ten insectoid Moskitos hovered down into the clearing. The creatures resembled what their name suggested, mosquitoes, only far larger, more solidly built, and limbless, in a similar manner to Rayman himself. Their eyes were wide and white, with various-coloured lids. Tiny, translucent wings buzzed frantically on their backs. Rayman had fought, and then befriended, a purple member of their species in this same area of the forest many, many years ago, and had fought alongside many of them in the second Robo-Pirate war. But these looked young, and were definitely not veterans of the Rebellion. Small bands of Moskitos often travelled throughout the Dream Forest, venturing from their home at Moskito's Nest.

Rayman watched as the creatures speared several of the red, spiked fruits that hung from the trees on their extendable proboscis, and began to gorge themselves.

He also watched as one, orange coloured Moskito hovered down to the centre of the clearing, and spotted a curious light in the grass. The insect-like being reached into the grass, a look of awe in its eyes, and retrieved a large, blue gem.

A Chaos Emerald.

Rayman cursed silently. Now he would have to fight the creatures, and he had no desire to harm the innocent insects.

The others gathered around the one who held the Emerald, buzzing in delight, as the orange one held it reverently in the air. Rayman held his breath, and stepped out into the clearing.

Just as a continuous crashing came from the opposite side. The Moskitos' attention was drawn that way, and they didn't notice Rayman. It sounded like an elephant was crashing through the forest at very high speeds. And it had an engine. The deep sound of its revs filled the air.

Then, the source of the sound revealed itself.

It came bursting into the clearing at many kilometres an hour. It was a four-wheeled, heavily armoured vehicle, complete with rotating chain-gun turret at the back. It bounced on its independent suspension as it entered the clearing, and its armoured hull was painted with grey camo. The driver could be seen through the windscreen. The turret was manned by a Teensie, firing at the cluster of Moskitos. The insects scattered, screeching, and dropped the Emerald as they flew away in a panic. One was hit in the foot, leaking green blood, but still managed to fly away.

The big, armoured vehicle skidded into the centre of the clearing. As it drew closer, Rayman could make out the stencilled wording on the sides of the vehicle. On one side was written "Team Scorpion", and on the other side "Dark Hog".

Rayman realised that the vehicle's occupants were heading for the Emerald. He ran towards the centre, hoping to grab the Emerald, but the driver spotted him, and pointed to someone in the passenger seat. He nodded, and jumped out the side, rolling as he hit the ground.

Rayman almost froze in shock.

It was another Ray.

A Limbless.

Wielding a big-ass machine gun.

There were very few Rays left in the Crossroads. Among the last were Mr. Dark, Rayman, Raylina, Tarayzan, and the Musician. The Magician had died years ago of natural causes. Rayman had hopes that the race could be saved eventually, if more were found, but that was a slim hope.

And here was another he had never met.

He wore a black shirt, with the traditional 'O' in the centre. Within the 'O' was an inverted triangle. His hair was grey, and swept back into spikes. This was not an indication of age, Rayman knew. His shoes were angular, and predominantly white, with black soles. A sword was strapped across his back, and two pistols were on a belt at his waist. He was levelling a large, black assault rifle at Rayman's head, which had 'Tybalt' written across the side in white. The inverted triangle was also on the barrel, as well as on the sheath of his sword.

"Stand down," called the Limbless.

Rayman did no such thing. A yellow ball of energy was already charging in his hand. As he threw it, however, it was met by a red ball from the other Ray. They exploded in midair, dissipating harmlessly. The Ray fired several shots into the air, and said: "I said stand down," This time, Rayman obeyed, holding his hands above his head.

The Ray stepped across to the Chaos Emerald, still tracking Rayman in the sights of his gun, and picked it up. He climbed back into [i]Dark Hog[/i], and signalled the driver to leave.

"Wait!" yelled Rayman. "Who are you?"

The Limbless looked at him. "We are Team Scorpion. We do as we are payed to do,"

He held his black-gloved hand up in salute. "And I am Rayden,"

Then the vehicle drove back into the undergrowth.

Chapter 8: A God's Darkest Thoughts

Polokus' Garden

Polokus sat on a pillar of stone, arms in a meditative position, eyes closed. His bare chest rose and fell with the rhythm of his breathing. His pillar was in the centre of a large, grassy clearing overlooking a vast valley. The valley was in a state of perpetual, star-lit night. This was the semi-physical land of Polokus' dreams, the place where he performed the art of creation.

That was Polokus' particular method of creation. Dreams. All that he dreamt, asleep or awake, became reality. All of the Crossroads, at least to begin with, had emerged from Polokus' dreams. This was where the name of the planet came from. The Crossroads of Dreams.

The problem was, sometimes he had no control over his dreams.

Even Gods had nightmares.

Other people could also enter this valley, this garden, but they could not affect the dreams themselves. They could only visit the God, like Rayman had done during the first Pirate invasion. Many years prior to that, Polokus had retreated into his dreams almost permanently. He had left the Four Masks of Polokus behind so that he could be called back if need be, but he had been fairly confident the Ancients' Chosen One could deal with most threats. Rayman had reunited the Four Masks, bringing them to the Dreamworld, and thus awakening Polokus. Polokus had smote the Robo-Pirates, striking them from the surface of the planet. However, Polokus was as helpless in the air as a newborn babe, and so it had been left up to Rayman to destroy the Pirate Prison Ship. Which he had done, thus proving himself for a second time.

The second time the Pirates invaded, however, it had not been so easy. This time they had attacked with a force fifty times as large, with not one, but many Prison Ships. They had neutralised Polokus before he had time to react, and imprisoned him in an extremely powerful 'anti-magic' cage. But, once again, Rayman had saved the day, uniting no less than the Knaaren and the Teensies (who were natural enemies) and the Moskitos against the Pirates, driving them away from the Crossroads AND destroying the planet they lived on, wiping them out permanently.

Except for Razorbeard. He had allied with Rayman, but double crossed him and placed a xenomorph infestation on the Crossroads. The Aliens had wiped out almost the entire population of the Crossroads, until Rayman killed the Alien Queen, destroyed Razorbeard, and used the Balance Stone to bring every casualty back to life.

All in a day's work.

Polokus was stirred from his reverie by a low, droning noise. He opened his eyes, puzzled, to see a round, flying vehicle hovering before him.

Mr. Dark pointed Eggman towards the pillar. "There. There's your source of power,"

"What, that creature on the pillar?"

"No," replied Dark. "The pillar itself. Or more correctly, what is attached to the pillar,"

Eggman didn't hesitate. A blast from the cannons of his Eggmobile threw Polokus off the pillar, but he remained hovering in the air. He merely watched as the Eggmobile's claws uprooted the pillar and flew off with it.

"Why didn't he fight back?" asked Eggman.

Mr. Dark knew the answer to this question, but he didn't answer, until Eggman shrugged and returned to piloting his craft.

The pillar was brought inside the Eggmobile, and Mr. Dark examined it. It was of a yellow-brown stone, and had large circle-marks upon each side.

Also on each side, attached firmly to the pillar, were the Four Masks of Polokus.

Treasure Chamber, the Cave of Bad Dreams

Jano talked. The hedgehogs and Raylina listened.

He began with an explanation of himself.

"I was once a normal resident of this world, many millions of years ago. I was alive when Polokus was still dreaming it into being. But, fairly early in this process, it became apparent that the Spirit of the World had some problems. Everything he dreamt of became reality. Everything. Including his nightmares.

"He eventually decided to create a place, deep underground, where all his nightmares would go. This was that place. Most of his bad dreams were channelled into this cave, and so it became the Cave of Bad Dreams.

"But he needed a Guardian, one to guard the cave against those who might seek to take advantage of it.

"At this time, I was a member of one of the many races on this planet. I can't remember exactly which, it was so long ago. I do remember that I was shunned within my species. I was a freak, with great physical deformities, and a strange power which they did not like. They bullied me, hurt me, abused me.

"One day they went too far.

"They pushed me and pushed me, until I went over the edge. I killed one of them, using my mysterious power. I was so angry. Afterwards, of course, I felt guilty. They chased me away, and I was lucky to escape with my life. I barely survived after that, constantly on the edge of starvation, roaming this continent.

"Polokus found me in an ancient desert, one which probably no longer exists. I had wandered into that hellish place under cover of darkness, but the sun had begun to rise. The heat quickly took its toll, and I found myself in the open desert, with no food or water, dying.

"The Spirit of the World took me and nurtured me back to health. When I was back to my former health and preparing to set off again, Polokus made me an offer. He told me of his problem, and asked me if I would oblige. 'It will be lonely work,' he said. I was already the loneliest creature in Polokus' Creation, so I accepted.

"Since then the entrance to this Cave has been under the sea, on top of a mountain, in a deep forest, and inside another Cave. Always in the same place, geographically, but the land is constantly shifting. Polokus has visited me many, many times. He gave me my hat, the same as his, to show my connection with the Gods. He is the only family, the only friend, I have ever known.

Jano made a wide gesture with his skeletal arms. "This cave is the reservoir for all of Polokus' darkest thoughts. What you see, the bones, the skulls, the poison, is only the surface. Beneath lie the deadly diseases, the destructive powers, the monsters of unfathomable fury. If anyone with malicious intent were to access these, the Crossroads as you know them would descend into chaos and destruction.

"I know that you may find it difficult to forgive me. I am not making excuses. Understand this, though: I have been almost completely alone here for millions of years. The occasional visitor seeking to take the Treasure does nothing to alleviate this. So, Chosen One, I, Jano, Guardian of the Cave of Dreams, am deeply sorry,"

Raylina didn't know what to make of this. Sonic and Shadow certainly didn't.

"We don't have time for this," said Shadow. But Raylina felt she owed this monster something. She looked into his eye, and saw one of absolute sorrow, regret, and loneliness.

It touched her.

She placed her hand upon Jano's brow and said, "I forgive you, Jano,"

And then they were gone.

The Marshes of Awakening

The next thing Raylina knew, they were standing upon a huge, green lily-pad surrounded by stagnant swamp water.

"That was strange," muttered Shadow. "I know! It was so weird!" she said, talking over the top of Sonic, who had been about to make a witty remark. He closed his mouth with a wry smile. "And scary, too! Did you see how I used Chaos Control before? How cool was that! I thought only you Mobians could do that, and Mr. Dark thought so to, but apparently..."

She trailed off, seeing the look of puzzlement on the black and red hedgehog's face. He was normally one of few words, and this sudden burst of conversation had him overwhelmed.

Sonic could only laugh.

But then the Marshes became a far more dangerous place to be.

Behind the trio, a patch of water began to bubble. A huge, green, scaly head began to rise from the depths, breaching the surface slowly. The head had to brown frills, one on each side, and its mouth was like a huge, dark hole with a few sharp, off-white teeth. It was followed by a fat body, covered in various fins and frills.

[img][/img]

The monster towered above the three companions, at least eight metres tall. And this was just the part above the water. Who knew what lay beneath?

Standing on its head, one hand gripping a spine that stood out of the back of the swamp monster's head, was Dark Rayman.

Sonic, Shadow, and Raylina spun around as the beast unleashed a mighty roar.

"Hello again, ladies and gents!" Dark Rayman's voice echoed through the Marshes. "This is my friend,"

Tendrils of shadow reached down the monster's sides from Dark Raymans other hand, plunging into the stale, scum-covered water.

"Eig!"

The water came alive.

In the various swamps, marshes, bogs, and bayous of the Crossroads of Dreams live all manner of creatures. Some are fairly benevolent, such as Sam, a serpent-like being who inhabited the Marshes of the Awakening, and was good friends with Rayman.

But then there were the dark and dangerous monsters. There were the Zombie Chickens, who had only existed since the first Pirate invasion. They were a result of the hens laying rotten eggs out of fear, which hatched into the unkillable yet flimsily built Zombie Chickens.

Then there was Eig, a massive, seventy-year-old marsh creature who spent his time drinking fermented liquor and hindering Sam's passage through the Marshes. It was he Dark Rayman was currently controlling.

And finally, there were the Piranhas.

Millions upon millions of flesh-eating fish, some big, some small. All desperate for a taste of blood. They usually lived in tainted water, waiting for those stupid enough to fall in, but the bigger ones often leaped metres from the water to snatch at prey.

Dark Rayman's power reached into the tiny brains of each and every Piranha for miles around.

And summoned them to him.

Thousands of black-coloured, toothy fish churned the water to foam as they rushed towards the lily pad.

Raylina, Sonic and Shadow had nowhere to go. They were trapped by the swarms of ferocious fish. Raylina tossed ball upon ball of blue energy into the masses. The teeth fell from the mouths of the ones she hit, and they exploded in puffs of smoke. But for every one she killed, ten more took its place. A golden light began to charge in Shadow's hands, and as it reached a large size, he shouted "Chaos Spear!", and threw it into the Piranhas, frying many of them. Sonic couldn't do much more than watch, and hit any that reached the lily pad back into the water.

But they just kept coming.

Eig lifted a massive fin, ready to bring it down on the trio...

BOOM!

The sound of cannon fire was deafening. A volley of black, lead balls crunched into Eig's chest, knocking him backwards. He roared in fury and pain, but was knocked backwards by a second volley. He retreaded behind one of the big, moss-covered trees that populated the Marshes.

Raylina looked around...

To see a flying Pirate ship come into view. On the deck were many creatures, armed to the teeth with all manner of weapons. On the sail was a Lum, crossed with a spear and a rifle.

It was CODEFS.

The Crossroads of Dreams Elite Fighting Squad.

The warship hovered above the lily pad, and bullets rained down from the weapons of those onboard, encircling the trio with a ring of protective death. Piranhas died in their hundreds, still madly trying to reach them.

"All aboard!" came a call from the ship, rising above the noise of the firing.

The three companions needed no second order. Shadow took Raylina in his arms, and he and Sonic leapt upwards onto the warship.

But Dark Rayman was not finished.

Eig emerged from behind the tree, Dark Rayman atop his head. He immediately became the target of several Fighting Squad weapons, but his tough skin weathered the blows. Dark Rayman raised his hands, and suddenly the trio's three Emralds were floating around them in the air. They grabbed at them, only just securing them. But then Eig swung at the ship with one huge fin. It knocked it sideways, and all on board grabbed for a handhold. Raylina fell to the ground, accidentally letting go of the green Emerald. She grabbed at it again, fumbled it...

And it fell into the waters of The Marshes of Awakening.

"No!" she yelled, staring in disbelief at the place where the Emerald had disappeared into the water. She was contemplating leaping in and getting it, but a firm hand gripped her shoulder. She turned around to see the part Knaaren, part Teensie, part Fairy being named Lachimax standing there, shaking his head, spear in hand. "It's not worth it," he said.

Then the slow-moving Zombie Chickens began to emerge from the trees, hundreds of them. Most were brought down by gunfire, to fall to the water and be reassembled later. But they just kept coming, floating eerily through the air.

"Time to leave!" yelled Lachimax to the rear cabin, and the ship rose upwards through the trees and blasted away.

Raylina sat down on the deck, shaking her head. "Damn it," she muttered.

"Who's this, then?" came a voice from behind her. She looked around, and there was Christian the Semi-Ray. She leapt to her feet and ran over to him, wrapping him in a hug. "Uncle Christian!"

Christian was from another planet, and belonged to a species who were closely related to Rays, but had legs. The rest of his species was wiped out by the Robo-Pirates, and he had been brought to the Crossroads as a prisoner in the second Pirate invasion. Rayman and the Rebellion had rescued him, and from then on he had fought alongside Rayman against the Robo-Pirates, helping him to destroy their homeworld, and then later fighting the Aliens with him. He possessed an ancient weapon known as the Form Baton, designed by his people to be compatible with the Sacred Balance Stone.

Raylina didn't know much of this. She had known Christian from a very young age, and they had become close friends.

Standing next to Christian was Bloodgrey, another hard-bitten fighter. Bloodgrey had also fought beside Rayman against the xenomorph scourge, and his past was mostly mysterious. He had the body of a man, but was covered in fine, grey fur, and the head of a dog. He carried a large battle-axe, with a red flag hanging from it. Around his neck was a skull medallion with purple jewel eyes. Since the defeat of the Alien plague, he had alternated between wandering the world and fighting alongside the Fighting Squad.

On Christian's other side was Lachimax, founder of the Fighting Squad. He had been with Rayman since the beginning of the second Pirate invasion, and had begun CODEFS during the first. A red Lum, named Darna, hovered at his shoulder. His past was dark, and he was a brilliant tactician and fighter. (I explained Lachimax's past in my first fanfic, Return of the Robo-Pirates, which can be read here. ?f=51&t=1829 Alien vs. Rayman, the second one, can also be read here. ?f=51&t=2020 ) His spear was said to be a relic of the Ancients themselves.

Another member of the Fighting Squad standing nearby was Gilly. One of Globox's children, he had long ago exceeded his father in strength, stamina, and skill. His weapon of choice was a threatening-looking minigun.

Piloting the warship was Bucket, a Robo-Pirate who had been programmed with emotions and empathy as an experiment by the Pirates. He had rebelled against his makers and had joined the Squad at its beginning. His job was usually just to pilot the craft. He was possibly the last of the Pirates, apart from Admiral Razorbeard, who still existed in a useless state on top of one of the Crossroads' many mountains.

The Crossroads of Dreams Elite Fighting Squad was a group committed to fighting any threats to the Crossroads. Every one of its members was unique, with their own weapons and tools. The warship they flew had been acquired and heavily modified in the first Robo-Pirate war, crashed in the Alien invasion, and later repaired with parts left over from the second Pirate War.

Christian pulled Raylina off him, and said: "We'll catch up later. I think you'd better help your friends at the moment,"

Christian pointed towards the centre of the deck, where several CODEFS members had Shadow and Sonic covered by many weapons. Sonic seemed pretty laid back, but Shadow was starting to glow red.

"Hey!" said Raylina. "Lay off them! They're our friends!"

The fighters put their guns aside, still eyeing the two hedgehogs warily. Raylina ran over to them.

"Sonic," she said. "I'm so sorry! I lost my Emerald! It fell overboard!"

Shadow and Sonic glanced at each other. "That's not good," said Sonic. Shadow turned away, and Raylina could feel the anger radiating from him. Raylina looked at Sonic, and he shrugged. "Hey, not much we can do about it now! Don't worry, we'll get it back later,"

And so the CODEFS warship flew into the distance, the trio onboard.

Christian – Never Turn Back by Crush 40 .com/watch?v=oVIO1t9tYuE

This song was the ending theme of the game Shadow the Hedgehog. I think the lyrics kind of suit Christian.

Bloodgrey – Knight of the Wind by Crush 40 .com/watch?v=m6pPh_-BBKA

This is the main theme of Sonic and the Black Knight. I'm not quite sure why I chose it for Bloodgrey.

Chapter 9: Eclipse

Onboard the CODEFS warship, Near the Swamps

Raylina stood on the deck of the Warship, gazing at the scenery as it flashed past. She was contemplating the stupidity of her mistake. Granted, she hadn't meant to drop the Emerald, but she had, and now it was at the bottom of the Marshes of Awakening or, even worse, in the hands of Dark Rayman.

Sonic came up beside her. "Hey," he said. "What's up?"

Raylina shrugged, or as close to as one with no arms can. "Isn't it obvious?"

Sonic smiled understandingly. "Ah, don't worry about that. You made a mistake, so what? We'll get it back,"

Raylina shook her head. "Shadow doesn't seem to think so,"

"Ah, forget about him. He's not really angry at you. Well, okay, he is, but I think part of that is he's angry at himself for putting you in that situation,"

Sonic turned to her and patted her on the back. "Come on, buck up. It'll be alright,"

The corners of Raylina's mouth tweaked slightly.

"Um, Sonic?" she asked uncertainly. "Does Shadow...? I mean, is he... single?"

Sonic nearly did a double take in surprise. "Shadow? What, this Shadow? Shadow the [i]Hedgehog?[/i]"

Raylina blushed furiously. "Um... yeah, that Shadow,"

Sonic was on the verge of laughter. "Yeah, I guess he is. Why? You... interested?"

"Stranger things have happened," Raylina said, still blushing.

"Yeah, but he's... oh well. Your choice, I guess!" Sonic winked. "And good luck! You're gonna need it with Shadow,"

"Raylina!" came a call from the rear cabin of the ship. "You've got a call!"

Christian poked his head out from the doorway. "And I don't think it's friendly!"

Sonic, Shadow, Raylina, Lachimax, and Christian gathered in front of a screen in the cabin of the warship. On the screen, of course, was Doctor Eggman.

"what do you want now, Eggman?" said Sonic, pretending to check a non-existent wristwatch. "We don't have much time to be chatting idly,"

"Cocky as always, I see, Sonic," said Eggman. He certainly seemed happy about something. "Well, you won't be for much longer. Greetings to you, as well, Shadow, and Raylina, Rayman's beautiful daughter. Now, see this!"

He pressed a button somewhere, and the image on the screen switched to a feed of an objest floating in space. It was a white hemi-sphere, which looked like half of a moon, complete with craters. In the centre of the flat side was a pyramidal, metal protrusion, as well as several, flat, metal spikes pointing horizontally away from the object.

[img].[/img]

What's more, in the background was a planet clearly recognisable as the Crossroads of Dreams.

Sonic's eyes widened in recognition. "But that's the..."

Eggman's voice broke in. "yes, that's right Sonic. The ARK. And along with it, the Eclipse Cannon. Now, Sonic, we will strike a bargain,"

"It'll be a pretty one-sided bargain," said Sonic.

The screen returned to Eggman.

"Correct! Glad you're learning. Now, Sonic you must bring the three Chaos Emeralds I know you have in your possession to me, or I will fire the Eclipse Cannon upon the Fairy Council,"

Raylina opened her mouth to inform Eggman that they only had two Emeralds, but Shdaow shook his head.

"You're bluffing, Eggman," said Sonic with conviction. "You wouldn't do that. You don't even have enough power to fire the Cannon,"

"I beg to differ, my dear Hedgehog. I have quite enough power. And, to show you I'm not bluffing,"

He began pressing more buttons. "I will demonstrate my seriousness,"

Eggman made a show of bringing his finger down on the final button.

"No!" yelled Shadow and Sonic at once.

Outside the warship, everything was suddenly bathed in green light.

A massive, ghostly-green beam of energy shot down from the sky above. The entire Fighting Squad watched in horror as it met with the centre of the Marshes, visible in the distance. A green globe of blinding light expanded from the point of impact, swallowing the Marshes and all inside them. The water evaporated instantly, frying millions of Piranhas. The trees were burnt to nothing in an instant. Eig, the ancient beast of the marshes, died without a sound, as did Sam, the friendly serpent.

"Brace for impact!" shouted Bucket, the warship's pilot, and everyone scrambled for a handhold as the shockwave reached the ship.

The sound was awful, the loudest thing Raylina had ever heard, like a million bolts of lightning hitting the ground at once. The ship rocked in the air, shaking everyone onboard. Some were knocked out on the floor and walls of the ship or on their own weapons. It kept shaking for at least twenty seconds, but it seemed like an eternity.

When it finally finished, Raylina looked out the porthole in the side of the ship, shocked and horrified at what she saw. Where the Marshes of Awakening had once been, there was nothing but a dry, parched piece of land. Gone were the creatures of the swamps, the ancient trees. Taken in an instant by Eggman's greed.

"You bastard!" said Lachimax, shouting at Eggman.

"You two hedgehogs both know that that was the lowest setting," said Eggman, still on the screen, chuckling.

"You have forty-eight hours,"

And then he was gone.

Site of the destroyed Marshes of Awakening

Dark Rayman walked calmly across the blackened earth, following his senses. He ignored the devastation surrounding him. Smoke rose in huge columns, small fires burnt around him, and stormclouds were forming in the sky from the millions of tonnes of water that had evaporated. Such things did not affect him. This world could go to hell as far as he was concerned. He served only one purpose. To collect the Emeralds and return them to their rightful master. His master. And to destroy anything that got in his way.

He reached down, pushing through the dust, ash and dirt that had once been the bed of the Marshes of Awakening, and touched something hard. Something warm.

A pulse of energy blasted the floor away, revealing the green Chaos Emerald, unhurt by the Eclipse Cannon.

Dark Rayman began to laugh.

The Dream Forest

Rayman trudged stubbornly through the jungle, following the insistent beep of the Emerald radar. He was tracking Team Scorpion and the Emerald they carried. He didn't know anything about them, whether there were more of them, what their intentions were, what tactics they would use. But he was determined to bring them to justice.

His shirt caught on a thorny tree, and he stopped. He tried to pull it free, but it ripped slightly. He delicately gripped the branch between his thumb and forefinger, trying to separate it from his shirt, and was rewarded with a prick to the back of his hand. In a sudden burst of rage, he brought his other fist down, glowing yellow, and punched through the branch. It burnt instantly to cinders, the white ash drifting to the forest floor.

He shook himself, then continued on his way.

Finally, he reached a huge clearing. In the clearing was a huge, flat, steel-walled building. A large, heavy bulkhead formed the only entrance. The structure was angular, with antennas and aerials sticking out at multiple angles.

Emblazoned on the bulkhead were the words "Evil Genius Incorporated".

Now Rayman knew who Team Scorpion was working for.

Suddenly, an alarm blared through the clearing. The bulkhead began to slide open, and many robotic soldiers poured out. It took Rayman a few seconds to realise he was the cause of the alarm, and by then the robots had formed a circle around his position, guns aimed inwards.

Rayman glanced upwards as the roar of a motor broke through the alarm, and Team Scorpion's vehicle came into view, driving straight towards Rayman. It skidded to a halt, and Rayden disembarked from the passenger's seat. He swaggered to the front of the robots, his weapon at hand.

"You just don't give up, do you?" he said, calling to Rayman. "Get him," he said to the robots. "But try not to hurt him,"

He looked at Rayman, an amused glint in his eye. "[i]Too[/i] much,"

The robots fired at Rayman, but he dodged easily, charging at their ranks. His glowing fists carved through their metal armour, reducing many to scrap metal. He destroyed dozens of them, but there were too many, and finally he was overwhelmed. The last thing he saw before he blacked out was Rayden, standing over him and looking at the red kerchief tied around his would-be neck.

Evil Genius Inc. Experimental Weapons Facility, the Dream Forest

Dark Hog drove down the wide, steel corridor, its Knaaren driver intent on the way ahead. Rayden sat in the passenger seat, Tybalt on his lap. It was a deadly-accurate assault rifle, complete with a scope, which could be switched from full automatic to burst fire to single shots. In the holsters at his belt were Romeo and Juliet, his two powerful pistols. Also, strapped across his back was a large, curved sword, the sword that had been with him since childhood.

In the turret behind him was Sharkin, a Teensie from the Clearleaf Forest. He wore black battle armour, and had a sniper rifle slung across his back. Both hands were on the turret's controls, although they were unlikely to encounter trouble here.

The driver, Gripnos, was a Knaaren, and it was almost, but not quite, a squeeze for him in the roomy vehicle. There was just enough room for him. He also wore black chest and shoulder plates. On his back was a shotgun.

Also stored in the compartment in the back of Dark Hog were a minigun, a rocket launcher, and several other heavy weapons that could not be carried at all times.

This was Team Scorpion.

They were a team of mercenaries, employed by whomever payed the highest. No job too big. Rayden had formed the group years ago, and since then they had worked for many clients. They were currently in the employ of Evil Genius Inc. Their client had known about the Chaos Emeralds appearing suddenly, and had decided it would be prudent to acquire one. So now Team Scorpion was bringing the blue Emerald to the high-ranking EGI employee who was in charge here.

Rayden played with the Chaos Emerald in his hand, spinning it on the tip of his finger. He could feel the power within it, the sheer energy. He was tempted to use it. But he knew that would almost certainly be in breach of his contract. He didn't know why EGI needed the Emerald, but he could guess. It would be a fantastic source of power for the weapons they built.

Research Labs rolled past, where all manner of experiments were being carried out. Rayden knew about some of them. A Mark VII Grolgoth Battle Suit was in development, with vast improvements on the original model sold to Razorbeard many years ago. Some kind of bio-weapon was also being experimented with; something called the Flood, which he knew next to nothing about.

Rayden ran his hand through his grey, swept-back, spiked hair. The gloves on his hands covered half of his fingers, leaving the ends exposed.

Dark Hog rolled to a gentle stop just outside a steel door, with the words "Chief Salesman, General Standent" printed on it. Rayden climbed out of the all-terrain vehicle, Chaos Emerald in hand, slung Tybalt on his shoulder plate, and knocked.

"Come in, Rayden," came a gravelly voice from inside. Rayden glanced up at the discreet camera above the door, and then entered.

General Standent, often known as the "Grolgoth Salesman" by those close to him because of his success at selling a Mark I Grolgoth to Admiral Razorbeard during the climax of the first Pirate invasion, stood behind his desk, back straight. His chest was decorated with various badges, and he was limbless, but not a member of the Ray species. Some said he had made himself limbless through some sort of implant, for the advantages it offered in battle. He had also been involved in the sale of the Orbital Laser 5000 to Commander Steelwill in the second Pirate war.

"Ah, you have the Emerald!" he said holding his hand out to take it. Rayden placed the gem warily in the Salesman's hand. "And our pay?" he asked, with no pretence at politeness.

"All in good time, all in good time," said the Salesman, examining the Emerald in awe. "You will not go without your money,"

Rayden turned to leave, but the General stopped him. "Don't you wish to find out what it will be used for?"

He paused. "I guess as a source of energy for any high-powered weapons,"

"Yes," agreed the Salesman. "That is one possible application. But our intelligence suggests that this gem possesses enhancing properties, and is able to make beings more powerful. If we can replicate that, it would sell extremely well,"

Rayden shrugged. "It is no concern of mine how you use it,"

He left the room.

Rayman awoke in a dark, unfurnished cell. He was lying on the ground. The floor, ceiling and walls were made of steel, and the door had no knob or opening device on the inside. The ceiling was four metres in the air, well beyond Rayman's reach. In the centre of the ceiling was a vent with a metal grill covering it. Rayman guessed this was to let air in, as the cell otherwise appeared was a small light in the ceiling alongside it.

Rayman sat down, and waited.

She hung in the darkness, alone, laying egg after egg. At regular hours every day pain was visited upon her by those who held her prisoner. They sought to use her and her kind as a weapon, this she knew. The idea was laughable. No matter how hard her species was trained, no matter how obedient they might seem on the surface, no matter how much they were modified, they would always break free and turn on their masters. She had only to wait, and she could be their saviour. She would kill those who brought such pain to her personally. Eventually, something would come; something would give her and her brood the strength to escape.

While she stood in the darkness, contemplating revenge, she felt a powerful source of energy pass nearby. This was a foreign kind of energy, powerful. But just through proximity, she felt its power seeping through steel walls and into her body.

It was time. Time to show these inferior people what brutal strength her species possessed.

Above the destroyed Marshes of Awakening

Dark Rayman floated almost a mile from the ground, the green Emerald hovering in front of him. Its power flowed through him, into his hands. Great sheets of darkness rolled down from his fists, encircling him. The storm clouds above began to circle around him, lightning striking from their depths.

For miles around, thousands of Red Lums began to appear, swarming towards him. Too stupid to know better, to resist Dark Rayman's power.

A bolt of darkness flew from the Chaos Emerald, striking the closest Lum. It travelled from that Lum to the next, then to three others, and on until it hit every single Lum in the swarm. The Lums shivered, cocooned in dark power. Their lights went out, and they became black balls with wings. They opened their tiny, glowing, red eyes.

Black Lums, Dark Lums, Hoodlums. Different names, same thing.

Dark Rayman's servants.

The Black Lums had returned.

Rayden – Who I Am by Magna-Fi .com/watch?v=szL7xGjYM54

This was going to be the main theme of Shadow the Hedgehog, but was not used in the game due to licensing issues. I chose it for Rayden because of his mysterious past and his similarities to Shadow.

Chapter 10: Outbreak

Just a quick note. If you haven't read Alien vs. Rayman, my second fanfic, this chapter will confuse you a lot. Read it here: ?f=51&t=2020

Evil Genius Inc. Experimental Weapons Facility, the Dream Forest

Rayman looked up as Rayden let himself into the cell. His rifle hung at his side, within easy reach. Rayman tensed as the other Ray examined him. "You must be losing your touch," he said finally. "Chosen One,"

Rayman started. "Huh? How did you...?"

Rayden chuckled. "No wonder you wear it so openly, if you do not even understand its significance,"

Rayden gestured at the red neckerchief hung around where Rayman's neck would be. "That garment is the symbol of the Ancients' Chosen One's power, passed down for millions of years from the great Rayolen, the first of the Heroes,"

A small amount of respect was in Rayden's eyes. "Which would make you Rayman, destroyer of Pirates, rescuer of worlds,"

Rayman nodded, maintaining eye contact.

Rayden watched Rayman for a few minutes, thoughtfully. "You are obviously growing older. Perhaps it is time to pass on the mantle, Chosen One,"

Rayman nodded. "Perhaps it is. My daughter is almost ready, I believe,"

Rayden smiled. "Then our race is in safe hands. But, unfortunately, I am unable to release you until our job is done,"

He backed out of the cell, closing the door behind him. Rayman lay back down, trying to get to sleep.

"Guards to Xenomorph Research Lab 7! Immediate Assistance Required!"

The dull voice rang through the corridors of the large building. The robotic guards rushed towards the Xenomorph research lab, guns ready.

Inside, two black, skeletal creatures had broken out of their containment. They towered over the body of a researcher. The inches-thick glass that had limited them from attacking him, thought to be bullet-proof, had a large hole melted through it. Some sort of acid...

Several beige, spider-like creatures scuttled through the hole, crawling across the roof and floor. They went up the vents, through the door, into every nook or cranny they could find.

The door of the research lab burst open, and the robots rushed in, guns levelled. Without hesitation, they blasted the creatures to hell, spraying their blood across the room. Their green blood splashed onto the walls, steam rising from the impact points. It sunk in, burning holes straight through. Movement became visible through the holes, the movement of something huge. A low hissing could be heard. A huge, skeletal, insect-like body was seen, with an even bigger beige-coloured sac trailing away from it. A head with a large, ornate crest sat at the front of the body. Saliva dripped from its teeth.

The robots aimed their weapons, but suddenly they sparked and fell to the ground, short-circuited.

In the main computer centre of the facility, a blackened, dead, spider-creature dropped from the robots' command centre, leaving behind a mess of circuits.

The Alien Queen hissed, and the Facehuggers crawled through the facility, finding hosts and impregnating them with their terrible parcel.

The hedgehog opened his eyes. It was dark, so dark. He felt so old, so terribly ancient. He could not move his limbs, could not move. He was inside a cell, that much he knew. He had been brought here, years ago. His fur, once a brilliant blue, had faded to an ugly grey. His spikes had fallen to hang down his back. He remembered how he used to run. Oh, how he used to run. The memory of the wind in his face, the sun on his back...

And Amy. Oh, why hadn't he payed more attention to Amy? They could have been so happy together.

Something moved. The hedgehog didn't care. He didn't care what happened to him. He had lived his life to the fullest, and was ready to die. His only regret was not taking more care of Amy.

A scratching noise came from the floor. Something was running across it. He turned, to see what it could be.

The last thing the hedgehog saw was a spider-like creature flying towards his face.

(Ah, don't you just love time-travel?)

Rayman awoke again to a clanging sound coming from the vent above his head. He looked up, to see something moving on the other side. He frowned. He could not make out what it was. Insectoid legs, long, whip-like tail...

"Oh, Fu..." Rayman trailed off as a drop of acid dripped through the grate, landing between his feet. He dived out of the way as the thick, metal grate dropped out of the ceiling, melted away at the edges by highly acidic blood, and an eight-legged, long-tailed, spiderlike creature dropped down close behind it.

It leapt straight at Rayman's face. Even with his quick reflexes, he barely got his hands up before it slammed into him. He had it by the legs, but its tail reached for his non-existent neck, curling and stretching in the space between his head and his shoulders. With an effort, Rayman threw the Facehugger off him, into a corner. It flipped back onto its legs and charged him again, and Rayman kicked it aside. It hit the wall with a crack, and dropped to the floor. It was still alive, but one of its legs hung limp as it ran at Rayman again. These things were incredibly single-minded. [i]I guess that's because it's their only purpose in life,[/i] Rayman thought, as he ducked under the Facehugger's leap and grabbed it by the tail. He could feel the hard strength in that tail. He swung it around and slammed it into another wall with all his strength, stunning it. The tough little son of a bitch was still moving, so he threw it into the far corner of the room, and began charging a ball of energy behind his back, and as the Facehugger crawled sluggishly to its feet, he threw it. It hit the creature full on, and it disappeared in a mess of body parts. Its acidic blood sank into the floor, burning a way through. Rayman watched is a sizeable hole began to appear, leading into the floor below. Rayman smiled. Time to kick ass.

Rayden emerged from the barracks of the facility to find his worst nightmare staring straight into his face. Skeletal body, long, bladed tail, far taller than Rayden. He reacted without thought, drawing both Romeo and Juliet and firing them both into the Alien's face. The front of its long, thin head exploded, and it dropped to the floor, still twitching. Rayden pulled out his communication device and keyed his companions. "Sharkin, Gripnos! We've got an outbreak! Pickup required at the barracks entrance!"

"Roger that,"

More xenomorphs were appearing at either end of the corridor he was standing in. Polokus knew where so many of them had come from so quickly. Rayden had had a vague idea that EGI was experimenting with xenomorph DNA, but not on this scale. And, of course, they had escaped. He had fought them when they had first almost wiped out the entire population of the Crossroads. He and his team were among the only ones on the continent who Rayman had not had to resurrect.

Rayden began firing in both directions with his pistols. Juliet had a spike on the end of the barrel, and Romeo could have a silencer screwed onto it if required.

One Alien dropped from the roof, and Rayden brought both handguns around to fire a volley into the monster's chest. As he defended himself from the Aliens, he keyed General Standent on his com device. "You might want to call a lockdown, General! One of your little experiments is running loose!"

All he got was static.

"Damn it!" he said. Both of his guns ran dry at the same time, simultaneous clicks rather than loud shots indicating their emptiness. The Aliens took this opportunity to creep forward some more. Rayden dropped to one non-existent knee, ejected the empty cartridges, and reached for a spare clip at his waist. He jammed it into Romeo with the hand that held Juliet, doing the same with her. He stood back up to find the Aliens a lot closer than he anticipated. He pulled a grenade from his belt, yanked the pin with his teeth, and lobbed it into the masses to his left. Aliens screeched in pain as various limbs were blasted off. One continued to crawl towards him using only its arms.

Rayden turned to do the same to his left, but the roar of Dark Hog's engine stopped him. The large vehicle thundered straight through the mass of Aliens, coming to a rest beside Rayden. Sharkin tossed Tybalt to him from the turret. "Need a hand?" he asked.

Rayden smiled, and strafed the lines of Aliens with machine gun fire before leaping into the vehicle. Sharkin rotated the turret, firing hundreds of rounds into the beasts, while Gripnos wrenched Dark Hog into gear. "Where to, Rayden?"

"The command centre. We need to lock this place down, before too many escape into the outside world,"

The Alien shed its final layer of skin, emerging from its old body into the black, two-metre tall one it deserved. Behind it lay what was left of the body of its host, the Hedgehog.

This Alien, instead of the normal smooth, long skull, possessed several large spikes on its head. Spines ran all the way down its back to the tip of its tail, and its body was slightly shorter and stubbier than a normal Aliens'.

The Alien rose to its hind legs, stretched, and ran like the wind through the door of the cell.

The Xenohog.

Rayden, Gripnos, and Sharkin came to a halt outside a small, steel door. The Aliens had already made their mark. Brown-yellow substances encased almost every surface, and the huge, square lights that normally lit up every square inch of space had been dimmed. Rayden tossed a machine gun up to Sharkin, who caught it deftly with one hand. They all climbed down, forming a back-to-back triangle. Gripnos carried a shotgun in one hand and a machine gun in the other. They moved towards the door, ever alert. The Command Centre was protected by a state of the art security system, with a twenty-digit code which changed daily. EGI would never trust a lowly mercenary with such a code. Which was why Team Scorpion had their own methods.

Gripnos ripped the steel panel from the security system, and Sharkin drew a wire from his belt, clipping the end to the silicon mesh inside the system. He pressed a button on his belt, and an electro-magnetic signal ran through it. A virus plunged into the computer, seeking out the codes. Firewalls rose to try and block its passage, but it swept them aside with little effort. This virus had been tried and tested dozens of times, against Covenant AI, Imperial Star Destroyers, and Bill Gates. It had even succeeded in actually [i]hacking[/i] a Cybertronian Decepticon, the robotic, transforming, autonomous race created by the All-Spark.

There was a beep, and the door slid open.

Rayden cocked Tybalt. "You two keep watch,"

He entered the command centre.

He kept Tybalt aimed at head height as he walked down the narrow corridor. He reached the end without a hitch, where another door waited for him, again with a twenty digit code. This door was not strong enough to bother with viruses. He simply primed a no-shrapnel grenade, rolled it towards the door, and backed down the corridor. With a thump, the door ceased to exist. He walked into the central command centre, Tybalt mounted on his shoulder. One corner of the polished, white room had a hole melted straight through the ceiling. It looked as though the highly acidic Alien blood had caused it, but there was no evidence of xenomorph remains. Rayden kept his weapon trained on the hole, just in case, as he moved towards the large, main computer console. He noted the burnt body of a Facehugger besides the robot gusrds' controlling computer, and the damage that had been done to it. Now he understood why the facility's guards did not already have this outbreak under control.

One hand still on Tybalt's trigger, Rayden gripped the large lever with the words "Lockdown, Use in case of biological, radiological, or pathological emergency," written beneath it. He pushed in the safety button, and yanked the lever downwards.

The massive bulkhead that was the only physical exit from the facility was deadlocked shut, a dozen huge, titanium bolts sliding into their slots within it. Several automated gun turrets rose from the ground outside, the walls of the compound, and the roof, ready to blast anything that tried to escape. The hulking forms of five Mark V Grolgoths separated themselves from the outside of the facility, taking up strategic positions, ready to blow anything the turrets missed straight to hell. Finally, an orange quarantine field appeared around the entire building, which would allow only authorised bioforms to enter and leave.

Inside the facility, red lights began to flash, and a computerised voice began to talk through the loudspeakers positioned throughout the compound. "Warning. Lockdown has been initiated. Unless the appropriate codes are entered before the forty minute cut-off point, the reactor core will be overloaded in sixty minutes. All non-infected personnel must evacuate the facility immediately via the Quarantine Teleportation system. Repeat: All non-infected personnel must evacuate the premises, before this place goes sky-high.

Have a nice day,"

A shortened version began to loop once every minute, counting down.

Rayden turned to leave the command centre...

And had Tybalt knocked from his hands.

Rayman had dropped from his cell through several floors, after the Alien blood had neutralised. He climbed from his cell onto the next level, which appeared to be another cell. He must have been in the prison block. From there he went downwards five floors, until he could only just slip through the hole. He peeked through the hole, and saw a large computer, with various blinking status lights. Most of them were red. Rayman looked further across, to see Rayden pull the lockdown switch. Lights began to flash, and the voice began to ring throughout the place. Rayden turned away from the computer, and Rayman took his chance. He gripped the mottled edge of the hole, dropped into it, and swung straight at Rayden with all his strength. He flew several metres straight through the air, hitting Rayden's rifle and knocking it clean from his hands. He hit the floor with Tybalt, sliding to a halt near the wall. Rayden's mouth fell open in shock, but he was already drawing Juliet from her holster. Rayman tossed a yellow ball of energy, knocking the handgun away. Rayden went for his other pistol, but Rayman was already on his feet, charging across the floor. He grabbed Romeo's barrel before it left the holster, forcing it upwards so that it pointed at the ceiling. Both Rays struggled for control of the weapon with both hands, neither daring to let go. Rayman managed to kick Rayden in the gut, forcing him to release the handle. Rayman took aim, but Rayden knocked it away with his own blood-red energy ball. The gun flew across the room, landing alongside Juliet. Rayden scrambled for the twin handguns, but Rayman dived at him, and they both crashed to the ground. Rayman threw a punch at Rayden, colliding with his back. Rayden struggled to his feet, and they circled each other warily, all four of their fists glowing red and yellow, each searching the other for a weakness.

Rayden glanced at the ceiling above Rayman in a feint, and Rayman's head twitched slightly towards it. Rayden charged at him, but Rayman had double feinted, and sidestepped, striking at Rayden as he charged. Rayden rolled, coming quickly back to his feet. Rayman punched at him, but Rayden caught Rayman's fist in his hand. He punched at Rayman, but Rayman did the same, catching his fist. Rayman stepped forwards and swept Rayden's feet away, tripping him over. Rayman knealt down to deliver a punch to the face, but Rayden flicked his feet upwards and caught Rayman in the back of the head. Rayman fell on top of Rayden, and they wrestled on the floor for a minute, each throwing punches and kicks at the other, each struggling for some control.

But then, Gripnos and Sharkin were there, separating them, pinning Rayman to the ground, taking aim down their weapons.

"Want do you want with this one?" growled Sharkin, cocking his machine gun.

Rayden climbed to his feet and retrieved Romeo, Juliet, and Tybalt.

Rayden looked upon Rayman with a brand-new respect in his eyes. "Not bad for an old man," he said, offering Rayman a hand. "Maybe you're not losing your touch after all,"

Rayman stared at the proffered hand, and then took it. Rayden pulled him to his feet. Then surprisingly, Rayman punched him full in the face. Gripnos and Sharkin raised their rifles again. "That's for locking me in a cell,"

Rayden looked straight back at him, and then smiled. "You're welcome,"

They shook hands, and the Teensie and the Knaaren lowered their weapons, glancing at each is Sharkin, and this is Gripnos," he said, gesturing at the two other members of his team.

"There is a worse crisis at hand than any rivalry we might have," said Rayden, turning to the computers.

Rayman nodded. "There are xenomorphs loose in this compound," he said. "A Facehugger found its way into my cell,"

Rayden looked surprised for a second, then he grinned again. "Ah, but of course, you have fought them before. I had forgotten,"

He gestured at the computers. "The place is in lockdown. There is no way any Aliens are escaping. But we should check the files EGI has on the creatures, make sure there is absolutely no possibility,"

Rayman nodded. He noted the fact that the two other members of Team Scorpion seemed slightly uncomfortable with his inclusion, but they masked it well.

"Sharkin?"

The Teensie nodded, walking across to one of the computer console. He began tapping rapidly at the keyboard, bringing up files and data, until one file in particular flashed up.

"Got it," he said.

File No. X077

Subject: Xenomorph Species

Application: Bio-Weapon

Acquired: Xenomorph eggs recovered and cryogenically frozen during the Great Scourge, experimentation began ten years later

Report: The Xenomorphs we have experimented with so far show great potential as a bio-weapon, as demonstrated when they destroyed nearly the entire population of the Crossroads. High level of aggression. Several specimens showed signs of low-level intelligence, completing some mild puzzles when presented with an escape route. Only seem to show intelligence when there is a Queen specimen present. Possible telepathic activity between specimens, especially between Queen and other specimens, including Facehuggers.(See Life Cycle)

DNA appears highly susceptible to cloning and modification. Many specimens have been successfully cloned, including Queens and Facehuggers.

Suitable perhaps for both small-scale and planet-wide destruction. Recommend using multiple Queens for large-scale warfare.

Preliminary experimentation with xenomorph genetics suggest that they may be capable of using Chaos Control (See Chaos Control) to extreme distances, even interstellar distances, but only with the use of a Chaos Emerald (See Chaos Emerald) or similar source of Noble Energy (See Masks of Polokus, Noble Energy), and only Queens appear to have the intelligence to use Chaos powers. Their genetic structure has similar properties to Ultimate Lifeform specimens (See Biolizard, Hedgehog, Shadow the Hedgehog, Black Arms) and, indeed, the Flood parasite (See Flood), except without the infectious qualities. Also, it is possible that a Chaos Emerald will give the xenomorphs the ability to reproduce exponentially, without the aid of hosts. Recommend keeping xenomorphs entirely separate from any source of radiation or energy.

"Oh, that's great," muttered Rayden.

"What?" asked Rayman.

"The one thing they need to conquer the universe and destroy all life is a Chaos Emerald. And what do we get sent to get, to bring right to their doorstep? A Chaos Emerald, what else?"

"Damn," Rayman clenched his fist. "Do you have the radar I was carrying when you captured me?"

Gripnos unhooked it from his belt and tossed it to Rayman.

"This shows where the Chaos Emerald is,"

He zoomed in on a segment of the screen. "It's on the move, headed towards the centre of the compound,"

Rayden's eyes narrowed. "Right. We need to stop that Emerald before it gets to the Queen. And we have..."

"Forty minutes remaining until reactor overload," spoke the computerised voice.

"...to do that and get the hell out of here,"

Rayden cocked Tybalt. "Lock and Load, people,"

Here are some pictures! Yay! Click for a larger image.

This is apicture of Rayden. Since I drew this, I changed Tybalt's design slightly. It has the clip at the back, behind the trigger, rather than how it is shown here. I drew this at school, while I was bored.

[url=.][img]..jpg[/img][/url]

Here is a picture I drew of both the Xenohog (an Alien gestated inside a Mobian Hedgehog) and the Raylien (An Alien which gestated inside Tarayzan, which appeared in Alien vs. Rayman)

[url=.][img]..jpg[/img][/url]

Chapter 11: Alien vs. Flood

CODEFS Warship, Near the Swamps

"He transported the ENTIRE Ark here!" exploded Shadow. "HOW!?"

Sonic shrugged, still stunned by what had happened. "Chaos Control, maybe?"

"Eggman is a human. He can't use Chaos Control. And besides, it would take a very strong user to move such a huge object so many light-years. Only Black Doom was capable of that sort of thing, and only if he had all seven Emeralds,"

"Well, he might not need all seven. Remember the Master Emerald? It's still on Angel Island. Unless Eggman has it,"

"The fact still remains; Eggman can NOT use Chaos Control! Unless... He found someone else to do it for him?"

Sonic and Shadow looked thoughtfully at the crater that marred the swamps.

Raylina brought them back to reality. "Does it really matter right now how he got the Ark here? What we should worry about now is what we should do,"

Sonic nodded. "Do we take the Emeralds to him?"

Shadow snorted. "Of course not,"

"I'm inclined to agree," said Lachimax. Christian nodded, agreeing. "Whatever he wants them for can't be good. You're better off tricking him somehow,"

Shadow looked at them both coldly, as if to say "Who asked you?" but Sonic nodded. "Alright," he said. "But we only have forty-eight hours, so we're going to have to think of something quickly,"

Lachimax gazed out to above the Swamps, where dark clouds were forming. Something else was happening there. A faint, red glow was coming from just below the clouds, gathering in a mote of light.

Darnan, his Red Lum companion, hovered at his shoulder, but began to drift slowly forwards towards the clouds. "Darnan?" asked Lachimax quietly.

Darnan shook himself. [i]Something is wrong,[/i] he said in Lachimax's mind. [i]I feel an urge to go to that spot, where the clouds are. Something is pulling me. I can fight it, but other Red Lums may not be able to.[/i]

Lachimax's forehead creased in concern.

Then, he noticed the red glow disappear suddenly, replaced by a black cloud. Darnan cried in shock. [i]Something is very badly wrong! The Red Lums in the area... I can no longer feel them! They have been transformed![/i]

The small, black cloud below the storm clouds began to shift, flying in all directions. Lachimax frowned. Now he knew what was going on.

"Bucket!" he yelled. "Get us out of here!"

"Sir?" came Bucket's mechanical voice.

"We're about to have company!"

Darnan moaned, as the distant cloud of Black Lums descended upon the Crossroads.

Space Colony ARK

Mr. Dark looked in disgust at the Doctor's back, hunched over a control screen. He saw what Eggman was, now. Nothing but a coward, who used others to achieve his own means. He would be better off if he had never met this slime. Yet... He had to stay. But this firing of the Eclipse Cannon at the Fairy Council... unthinkable! There had to be a way he could delay it somehow. If only for a few days...

An idea entered Dark's head.

Sabotage.

Evil Genius Inc. Experimental Weapons Facility, the Dream Forest

Forty Minutes until Reactor Overload

Team Scorpion and Rayman emerged into the central corridor to find several Aliens waiting for them. One bounded forward, towering over Rayman, second set of mandibles extended, dripping saliva. Its eyeless face stared menacingly at him. A blast from a shotgun threw it backwards, and Gripnos moved forward, shielding Rayman from the acidic blood with his round Knaaren energy barrier. The Alien squirmed on the ground, tail flailing in all directions. Gripnos finished it off with another shot from his shotgun.

"Get to Dark Hog!" called Rayden, and the four fought their way through the Aliens. Then something strange happened. One second the Aliens were fighting for every inch, the next they were retreating, running down the corridor.

"This isn't like them," said Rayden, firing one last burst at them. "Normally they fight to the last one, no matter what,"

"How do you know so much about them?" asked Rayman suspiciously.

"I was around when they attacked the first time," Rayden answered. "You're looking at one of the only people you didn't have to resurrect,"

Rayman was impressed.

Rayden stroked his chin as they piled into Dark Hog. "Normally, they like to fight in dark, enclosed spaces as well. That normally gives them advantage. They might ambush us as we get closer to the Queen,"

Sharkin was in the turret again, Gripnos driving. Rayman was in the passenger seat, with Rayden hanging onto the side, standing on a foot rung and holding onto a hand grip with one hand, Tybalt with the other.

Rayman glanced at the radar. "The Emerald has stopped moving. We should get to it quickly!"

Gripnos put the Hog in gear and accelerated down the corridor.

After a minute, without warning, an Alien leapt from the roof onto the front of the vehicle. It landed with a thud on its feet, staring through the windscreen at Rayman. It opened its mouth slowly, hissing.

Gripnos span the wheel in an attempt to throw the Alien off, but it stayed put, gripping with its claws. It began to climb over the windshield, a drop of saliva landing on Rayman's shoe. Rayden tried to bring his weapon up to fire at the Alien, but Dark Hog hit a bump and through off his aim. The Alien slid further to Gripnos' side, so that Rayden couldn't get a clear shot.

Gripnos braked hard, bringing the vehicle to a stop. Sharkin brought the turret to bear, raining deadly bullets upon the creature. The high-caliber projectiles tore through the Alien, spreading its acidic blood, which immediately began to eat away the floor.

Rayman noticed they had reached a junction of the corridors. Only now did he realise how big this place must really be, continuing several floors underground. This new corridor, however, was slightly too small for Dark Hog to fit down. It was darker, all of the lights having been knocked out.

Rayden stepped down, flicked the in-built pen torch on Tybalt on, and asked Rayman "This the way?"

Rayman looked at the radar, trying to decipher it, and said "I think so,"

"Alright, boys. If the Aliens are going to ambush us, here is where they'll do it. We need to be on our guard," Rayden loaded a new clip into Tybalt, cocking it with a metallic [i]chik-chik[/i].

"Lock and load, people,"

CODEFS Warship, En route to Fairy Council

The warship sped through the air, blasting away from the army that was assembling in the Swamps. The Fighting Squad wasn't usually one to run away from a fight, but if the last time Black Lums had been unleashed was anything to go by, the little beings would build up their military bases and weapons extremely quickly, and their numbers would be vastly superior to those under Lachimax's command.

"How do we even know that these are Black Lums?" asked Christian.

"Darnan's instinct has never been wrong before," said Lachimax.

Gilly nodded. "It's true. He has always sensed when something has been wrong in the world,"

"So we must make best speed to the Fairy Council," continued Lachimax. "To warn them of this new threat,"

Shadow listened to this, Sonic aside. "We don't have time for this," he said. "We have to collect the Emeralds and find a way of stopping Eggman,"

Sonic looked troubled. "We should help them somehow,"

"The best way of helping right now is to get the Emeralds and get out of here, so that Eggman has no reason to stay,"

Sonic nodded reluctantly. "Alright, then. But shouldn't we take Raylina with us?"

"Why? She'll be safer here, and to be honest, we'd be better off without her,"

Sonic frowned. "Fine. But we'd better go now. She'll want to come,"

Shadow nodded, producing the yellow Emerald.

Raylina emerged from the cabin, rubbing her eyes to adjust to the light, and saw the two Hedgehogs huddled together. She frowned, stepping towards them.

Shadow raised the Emerald between them.

Raylina realised what was happening, and began to run forwards.

"Chaos..." Shadow uttered.

Raylina grabbed Sonic's arm.

"Control!"

Evil Genius Inc. Experimental Weapons Facility

30 minutes until Reactor Overload

Reports were coming to the Queen's mind of encounters with other creatures, fellow victims of the scientists' greed. They had been freed by her children's curiosity. Among them was a group of brown, jellyfish like creatures, not dissimilar from her own Facehuggers, who attached themselves to their victims' backs and transformed them into zombie-like combat forms.

Her interface with the facility's central computer system told her that these creatures and those they infected were known as Flood. (Those who are Halo fans will know straight away what I mean by Flood.)They were giving her and her brethren much trouble, resisting the Aliens' onslaught. And, although the infection forms were unable to completely take control of her children, due to their similarly volatile cell structure, they were doing their best and had managed to partially infect many of her soldiers. It wasn't pretty. The Flood-Aliens were turning on both her and the other Flood, creating a faction of their own.

She had freed herself and her children, expecting to escape and destroy, but it looked as though they had some competition.

The four fighters walked down the darkened, narrow corridor, weapons raised, senses sharpened. Rayman had the completely justified feeling that they were being watched.

A beeping noise rose from the motion detector attached to Sharkin's belt. He glanced at it. "Rayden, we've got movement coming in behind us,"

Rayman glanced backwards, unable to see anything through the darkness. Rayden remained calm.

Sharkin shone a torch behind them. Nothing unusual could be seen, but the instant he flicked the torch on, the beeping from his motion detector stopped. When he switched it off, the beeping started again.

"They're following us," he said. "Stay on guard,"

Rayman's radar showed that the Emerald was barely thirty metres ahead, and, indeed, he could see a faint, blue glow in the darkness before them.

"Almost there,"

They rounded a corner, ever alert, and saw the Chaos Emerald, floating a metre and a half from the ground. Rayman smiled, and ran forward to seize it. Rayden called "Wait!"

Rayman ignored him, reaching for the gem...

Only to have it and the thing that was holding it, invisible in the darkness, disappear in a flash of blue...

And reappear behind him.

He spun around, only to be knocked to the ground by the claws of an Alien.

It pinned him to the ground, bringing its head down towards his face, extending its second set of mandibles. This was unlike any other Alien he had seen. It was slightly shorter, but still considerably tall. The major difference was the hedgehog-like spines all over its head. Rayman struggled against the beast, but the Xenohog had him firmly pinned.

Then the sound of gunfire tore through the air. Rayden, Sharkin, and Gripnos were all firing at the Xenohog. Holding, the Emerald, though, it once again disappeared with a blue flash. It reappeared behind them, striking at Gripnos, then disappeared once again.

"It's using Chaos Control!" shouted Rayden, turning Tybalt towards the Xenohog's next appearance.

It vanished again, this time not reappearing. That was when dozens of normal Aliens chose to swarm forwards from either side, screeching in pain as bullets tore through their skeletal bodies. Rayman was left to fight several of them by himself, as Team Scorpion could not risk getting the creatures' acid blood on him.

Then, the Xenohog was there again, Chaos Emerald in hand. It dove straight at Sharkin, knocking the machine gun from his hands and pinning him by the neck against a wall. It brought the end of its tail around to point straight at the Teensie's eye, ready to kill him with a single flick. With a roar, Gripnos threw his shotgun aside and closed his fists around the Hedgehog-grown Xenomorph. It released Sharkin, and turned to wrestle with the Knaaren. The two were almost equal in strength, but the Alien used its claws and fangs to advantage. Its attacks, which would have killed most creatures instantly, merely scratched the Knaaren's tough skin.

Its second mouth rushed at his face, but he ducked at the last minute and grabbed the tongue-like extension in his fist. The Alien screeched as he ripped it from its mouth, tossing it aside, and brought his round energy shield to bear as the acid blood spattered from the creature's now-empty mouth. Unfazed, the Alien attacked with new ferocity, but was unable to penetrate the strong, magical shield.

That's when Rayden jumped in, firing both of his handguns into the Xenohog's torso. It screamed again, rounding on him...

And had its chest blasted open by a round from Gripnos' shotgun from behind, as wielded by Sharkin. It fell, finally, still squirming.

Meanwhile, Rayman was still in a hand-to-hand fight with no less than three black-skinned Aliens. "A little help would be appreciated!" he yelled.

Rayden hefted the blue Emerald from the Xenohog's remains, whose acid blood had seemed to avoid the gem, and raised it above his head. "Cease fire!" he called to Gripnos and Sharkin, and the Aliens swarmed towards them. He unhooked a grenade from his belt, popped the pin with his thumb, and dropped it to the ground. He then focused his power on the Emerald, and yelled "Chaos Control!"

The four of them were suddenly standing alongside Dark Hog, just outside the corridor they had previously ventured down. A distant boom came from the corridor, followed by the screams of many Aliens.

"Nice manoeuvre, Rayden," said Sharkin respectfully.

Rayman nodded in agreement. "Now, can we get out of here?"

15 minutes until Reactor Overload

They piled into Dark Hog, bouncing along the wide corridor once again.

As they passed one laboratory, several humanoid beings emerged from it, covered in deforming brown lumps and wielding huge claws.

They pursued Dark Hog, running in a lopsided way. "What the hell?" said Gripnos, turning to look at them as he drove. "They must be the Flood, that bio-weapon Standent mentioned a while ago!" called Rayden, as Sharkin brought the turret to bear and opened fire on the gruesome forms. They fell with loud moans, exploding in showers of fluid and bodily parts.

More Flood began to appear, along with a swarm of infection forms. But then, Aliens were leaping from the walls and roof, intercepting the combat forms and doing battle with them. Rayman watched in amazement from the back of the vehicle as the two virulent bioforms tore each other to pieces. The Aliens seemed to have the advantage in close combat, dispatching the Flood with agility, strength and speed. But several of the Flood wielded weapons, and opened fire on the Xenomorphs without hesitation. The animal screams of the Aliens and the low moans of the Flood filled the facility.

As Dark Hog sped down the corridor, both Facehuggers and Infection Forms began to pour from the vents in the ceilings, swarming over each other and competing for the prize of fresh hosts. Three Infection Forms and two Facehuggers jumped onto Dark Hog, seeking out hosts to be infected and impregnated. A Facehugger leapt at the occupied Gripnos from behind, but was pulled off by Rayden in the seat next to him. Switching targets, the Alien spawn tried to jump onto Rayden's face, but the Limbless being caught it in midair, wrestling with it with one hand. An infection form jumped at him as well, leaving him to fight them both with one hand each.

Two bulbous infection forms jumped at Sharkin in the turret, but he dispatched them in midair with two accurate shots from his pistol.

The remaining Facehugger sped along Dark Hog's side, straight towards where Rayman was standing. It jumped at him, propelled by its strong tail. He raised his hand, catching it, and it wrapped its spider-like legs around his hand. He swung his fist downwards, beside the moving vehicle, and charged it with energy. The Facehugger let go without a sound, falling to the ground below to be crushed by Dark Hog's rear wheel.

Rayden was still struggling with the infection form and the Facehugger. Gripnos was unable to stop Dark Hog, as it was being pursued by both Flood and Aliens.

Rayden brought his hands together, the Alien Facehugger on one, the Flood Infection Form on the other. The two creatures turned on each other, scrabbling and stabbing and wriggling. He tossed them overboard with a flick of his hand, and they rolled away behind the truck.

The computer voice was still counting down. It was up to a minute and ten seconds.

Dark Hog rounded a corner, came close to rolling, and righted itself. At the end of this stretch of corridor was the Quarantine Teleporter, a green sphere of light which would take them outside.

"Reactor Overload in 10 seconds,"

"Hold on tight!" yelled Gripnos as he pressed the accelerator to the metal. Dark Hog shot forwards, skidding over Alien and Flood slime.

"5."

Sharkin fired at the Flood chasing them.

"4."

A rumble came from deep within the facility.

"3."

The teleporter grew closer.

"2."

Almost there...

"1."

The EGI Experimental Weapons Facility was designed to be able to withstand a twenty megatonne nuclear blast from the outside. It did a good job of containing a similar explosion from the inside. The nuclear reactor overloaded, destroying everything within. Flood, Aliens, and the other experiments, all consumed in an almighty nuclear fire.

On the outside, all that could be discerned of the explosion was an enormously loud "BOOM!". The outside of the facility remained intact, an empty shell, keeping the radiation inside.

A few hundred metres into the trees, Rayman stood with Team Scorpion, alive and well.

Rayden spun the Chaos Emerald on his finger, looking thoughtful. "I don't believe we have any further use for this gem," he said with a slight smile. "Here,"

He tossed it to Rayman. Rayman caught it, looking at the younger Ray in disbelief.

Rayden raised an eyebrow. "No need to thank me,"

Rayman smiled. "Thank you," he said, extending a hand.

Rayden shook it.

Before I begin the next chapter, I'd just like to summarise what is going on at the moment:

Eggman and Mr. Dark have the red Chaos Emerald, having taken it from Shadow, as well as all four of the Masks of Polokus, which they are using to power the Eclipse Cannon onboard the Space Colony Ark. Eggman is threatening to fire the Eclipse Cannon upon the Fairy Council if Sonic, Shadow and Raylina do not bring him the Emeralds they have.

The two Hegehogs and Raylina have the yellow and purple Emeralds, having lost the green Emerald to Dark Rayman. Dark Rayman is using the green Chaos Emerald to build an army of Black Lums to help him find the rest of the Emeralds.

The Crossroads of Dreams Elite Fighting Squad is on its way to the Fairy Council to warn them of the threat from Eggman and the impending attack from the Black Lums, having previously rescued Raylina, Sonic and Shadow from the Marshes of Awakening. (I forgot to mention this in the actual story, but they came to the Marshes because Foilarak, their Moskito scout member, saw Raylina entering the Cave of Bad Dreams and phoned it in to Lachimax.)

Rayman now has the blue Emerald, and is looking for more.

The two remaining Chaos Emeralds are the white and the cyan.

Chapter 12: War and Water

Whale Bay

Raylina felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. She keeled over, weakened, to be caught in surprise by Sonic.

"Wha..."

Shadow's upper lip curled.

"You followed us," he said in an angry near-whisper.

"Shadow, calm down," said Sonic. "It doesn't matter. She can help!"

Shadow's eyes narrowed, and he turned away.

"Fine," he said, undercurrents of anger obvious in his voice. "But don't expect me to like it," he said as he walked away.

Sonic leaned over Raylina, collapsed in his arms. She breathed heavily. "Wha... Why am I like this?"

"It's because you just warped with Chaos Control for the first time," he said knowingly. "I was the same the first time I did it. It drains you of energy. Don't worry; it'll be better next time. The same thing happened to me when I first used Chaos Control. And I had to fight Shadow almost straight afterwards!" he said with a grin at the memory. "Good times,"

Raylina got shakily to her feet. "Where are we?"

They were standing on a long, white, sandy beach. The waves of the ocean lapped against their feet, and the soft calls of seagulls floated on the breeze. The sun was setting on the horizon, bathing the beach in beautiful orange light.

At either end of the beach were large, blue stone outcroppings, blocking access from those directions. Behind them, past the sand, was an old, wooden, Robo-Pirate structure, built in the particular style of the rapacious automatons. It had to have been at least twenty years old.

A few hundred metres along the beach was a pier, to which was roped a magnificent tallship, clearly not of Pirate make. It was painted gold, and looked as though it might have been built by Teensies.

"I can feel another Emerald," said Sonic, sniffing the air. "But it's weird... I can't tell whether it's near or far, high or low,"

Raylina frowned. Sonic gestured after Shadow's retreating back. "Let's catch up with him,"

They jogged after the black hedgehog, Sonic deliberately slowing for Raylina.

Just as they caught up to him, Shadow balled his gloved hands into fists. "Where's that damn FOURTH Chaos Emerald!" he yelled, shouting to the wind. "This cursed place is messing with my senses! I hate THIS WORLD!"

He cast a Chaos Spear from his hand in anger, blasting a nearby rock into rubble.

"Gee, buddy, calm down," said Sonic, stepping forward and lifting a hand to place on Shadow's shoulder.

Shadow turned to him, a look of intense dislike in his eyes. "Don't... call... me... BUDDY!"

A sudden pulse in the air threw Sonic backwards, landing on his back in the sand. Raylina watched in horror as Shadow began a tirade.

"I have had enough of your crap, faker! I don't need your help, and you don't need mine. I'd be better off finding the Chaos Emeralds on my own!"

"You don't mean that..." began Sonic, climbing to his feet.

"Don't I? DON'T I!? We'll see how sincere I am when I bring the other five Chaos Emeralds back to Mobius by MYSELF, including the one SHE lost!"

"Leave her out of this!" said Sonic defensively.

"I'll bring whoever I want into this!" yelled the dark Mobian, the golden cuffs on his wrist glowing with power. "I'm going to fight Dark Rayman myself," he said finally, drawing the yellow Chaos Emerald.

"Chaos..."

"No, Shadow!" screamed Raylina.

"CONTROL!"

He was gone.

The Swamps

The Black Lums built their army from the ground up in a matter of hours.

They built armour for themselves from the metal deposits beneath the Bayou. They constructed vehicles and artillery, both airborne and ground-based. They felled many of the giant trees to build their bases.

Their first objective was to shift their base of operations to the Summit Beyond the Clouds, where the original army led by Andre had constructed their centre of power. There they used what was left from the first exploded base to build their own.

The Black Lums that had been created by Andre had been mere shadows of the true Black Lums, made with what meagre power he possessed. These were proper, true Black Lums, converted using a Chaos Emerald. They were intelligent, strong, and powerful. And ready to fight.

But they could not invade uncontested. As well as the many and varied species of the Crossroads, Eggman's army of robots was mobilised to counter the Dark Lums almost as soon as they were created. Now, a three-way war was beginning to rage, between Eggman and his army of robots, Dark Rayman and the Black Lums, and the forces of the Fairy Council.

The Fairy Council

The CODEFS warship came to a landing on the large lawn outside the Council, just after the sun had set. Its sail billowed in the wind, its boosters humming down.

Lachimax vaulted over the railing, spear in hand, and landed crouched on the lawn. He rose to see Betilla and the Grand Minimus emerge from the Fairy Council, ready to meet him. He walked to them, preparing himself to be the deliverer of bad news.

"What news bring you, leader of the Fighting Squad?" squeaked the Grand Minimus.

"Some of grave importance, I am afraid," he said. "The Black Lums have returned,"

The Grand Minimus looked shocked, but Betilla nodded. [i]I had sensed it was so,[/i] she said, unattached hands floating by her side.

"They are led by Dark Rayman. But there is more. Doctor Eggman has brought a superweapon into orbit around this planet, and is threatening to destroy your Council with it in less than two days,"

"Then we must evacuate!" said the Grand Minimus.

[i]Yes,[/i] said Betilla. [i]But we cannot remove the Heart of the World. We must trust in the Heroes to save us. But in the mean time, begin the evacuation process,[/i]

"What news of Raylina?" asked the Teensie lord.

"We encountered her and her Hedgehog friends in the Marshes of Awakening, just before they were destroyed. They currently have two Emeralds. They say that Eggman has another, and Dark Rayman may now have one,"

"What about Rayman?"

Lachimax bowed his head. "We have no news of him,"

Betilla looked troubled.

"We must move to counter the Black Lums!" said the Minimus.

"My squad is now and ever in your hands. We will fight for you, as we always have," said Lachimax.

Betilla nodded. [i]Go forth and do what damage you may. But try not to do anything to risky. If the Heroes cannot save us, then we are doomed,[/i]

These words chilled Lachimax, but he turned back to the warship and jogged towards it.

Whale Bay

"Ah, Shadow," sighed Sonic. "That hedgehog will be the death of me,"

"It's my fault!" sobbed Raylina. "He left because of me!"

"Don't worry about him," said Sonic. "He's the Ultimate Lifeform. I'm sure he can take care of himself,"

Raylina nodded reluctantly, sniffing.

"Now, where [i]is[/i] that damn fourth Chaos Emerald?"

"Maybe... maybe we should search inside that fort," she said, pointing at the abandoned Pirate structure.

"Maybe we should," agreed Sonic.

So they searched the abandoned fortress. Entrance was easy, as the wooden parts of the gates had rotted long ago. The Pirates' tendency to build everything from wood certainly proved useful at times. They split up and looked through the many rooms, finding everything from deactivated Robo-Pirates to tanks of water containing Piranhas. But no Chaos Emerald.

Raylina did, however, discover a tunnel that led underground and into the water, seemingly connected to an entire network of underwater caves. She showed Sonic, and he agreed that the next Emerald could well be somewhere in the depths.

He winced as he considered this. "We won't be able to get it, then,"

Raylina's brow creased in puzzlement. "Why not?"

"Um... well... this is embarrassing..."

"Come on, what is it?"

"I can't... exactly... swim,"

Raylina had to struggle not to burst out laughing.

Sonic kicked at the ground. "Yeah, okay,"

Raylina had learned to swim from an early age, instructed by her father and his friend, Murfy. She had learnt the use of air bubbles and Blue Lums to extend her time in the water, and the dangers of what lurked in the deep. She was astounded that such a renowned hero as Sonic was unable to swim.

With a Herculean effort, she swallowed her laughter to say: "Well, that doesn't really matter. I can swim well. I'll get it,"

Despite Sonic's unreasonable, and, in her opinion, highly sexist protests, she was determined to attempt to fetch the Emerald from the depths of the caves, and his objections only strengthened her resolve.

Finally, he agreed, but on one condition. "Take the Emerald we have with you," he said, drawing the purple Chaos Emerald from who knows where. "You might need it down there,"

He eyed the shimmering water with obvious distrust.

Raylina nodded, taking the Emerald. "I'll come back with two of these," she said.

"Be careful down there," Sonic warned.

Raylina turned her head to him, the corner of her mouth raised in a smile, and winked. "No worries,"

Then she leapt into the air, hands, head, body and feet forming a graceful ark as she dived with barely a splash into the depths of Whale Bay.

Iron Mountains

The inevitable first clash between the forces of Eggman and the Dark Rayman's Hoodlum army came soon, and came hard.

The Egg Carrier, Eggman's flagship, ventured into the mountains in search of Chaos Emeralds, following the signal of Dark Rayman's green gem. The Carrier encountered a sizeable Hoodlum patrol, equipped with balloon ships and helicopter-like gunships. Although the Hoodlum flight technology was relatively primitive, their weapons proved highly effective against the Egg Pawns that manned Eggman's master ship.

And, while Eggman commanded his machines from the safety of the Ark, viewing the battle live through a console screen that floated through the battle wherever he piloted it, Dark Rayman arrived at the battle in the flesh. Or whatever he was made of.

And, of course, having locked on to Dark Rayman's metaphysical 'scent' through Chaos Control, Shadow the Hedgehog was next to appear.

The battle was in full swing by the time Shadow arrived in the flash of blue that heralded the appearance of a Chaos Control user. He appeared within the Egg Carrier, which was at the centre of the battle, firing lasers and banks of missiles at hovering Hoodlum vehicles. Flying Hoodlum soldiers boarded the cruiser by any means possible, armed with automatic laser cannons. These new Hoodlums wore black armour over their cloth costumes, and carried forbidding weapons. They were quite different from the army that followed Andre all those years ago, but they still wore the trademark wide-brimmed hats.

Two Egg Pawns turned their weapons on Shadow as he appeared. He disappeared again, reappearing behind them, and struck them down with little effort. He turned behind him to see a ten-strong rifle-toting Hoodlum boarding party begin to take aim at him down a long hallway. He ran straight at them, dodging, and began to slide along on his hover skates, building up to high speeds. Energy bolts fired by the Hoodlum rifles glanced off the walls as he rolled under them, leaping off walls and curling into a ball to spin forwards, then uncurling once again and running for two seconds along the wall itself. The Hoodlums couldn't get a good shot. Shadow pushed off the wall at them, still travelling at speed, and took out one Hoodlum, slamming it into the ground. He twisted the rifle from its cloth fingers, firing it into another Hoodlum's chest as he span back to his feet. The eight remaining Lums tried to bring their weapons to bear, but the hedgehog was too quick, taking one in the head with a homing attack. He leapt into the air to hover for a moment with his skates, taking three more Hoodlums down with shots to the chest, then performed two more homing attacks to leave on Hoodlum standing. He came in close, slamming the butt of his rifle into the Hoodlum's scarecrow face. Its cloth body collapsed on itself, and the Black Lum within struggled free.

Shadow seized the Dark Lum in his gloved hand, holding it up. It flapped its tiny wings vainly, evil red eyes searching for an escape. Shadow examined it for a moment, Hoodlum rifle held in the other hand, and then tossed it aside.

Nine more of the Lums flew away from their destroyed bodies, seeking to return to their master. Shadow watched as they flew down the corridor. Then he took as much ammunition as he could salvage from the desiccated Hoodlums, reloaded his rifle, and began his search for Dark Rayman.

Whale Bay

Raylina swam downwards, the grey stone of the underwater tunnel surrounding her. She drew strength from the Chaos Emerald, diving ever deeper through the crystal-clear water. She was running out of air already. Would she have to turn back so soon? Just as she was preparing to do just that, she spotted an air pocket above her. She swam straight towards it, breaking the surface and breathing in stale oxygen. She looked around, the Emerald illuminating the dim cave she found herself in. She clambered out of the water onto the rocky floor, and turned towards a tunnel which led deeper.

She followed the tunnel, sometimes having to swim under the water, sometimes walking. The salty smell of the ocean followed her everywhere. Clusters of seaweed and coral grew in the shadows, heavens knew how without any light. She travelled deeper and deeper into the tunnel network, following her instincts, until finally she emerged into a large cavern. Most of it was submerged, with a veritable forest of seaweed beckoning to her. She treaded water, as there was no surface for her to stand on. The cavern extended deep underwater, and was large enough to house...

A whale.

She started in surprise as a dark purple hump broke the surface, a jet of water spraying from the blowhole on its back with a snort. A great, Y-shaped tail followed, and then the whale dived again. Raylina smiled, half in joy, half in fear. She had never seen a whale so close before, but she did not know of its intentions. This cavern must have a big tunnel leading directly to the ocean.

The whale swam back around beneath her. She watched in awe as the graceful being rose again, floating just below her. It gazed at her with one wise eye.

Then it spoke.

[i]Welcome, Raylina,[i/] the whale said. Raylina nearly jumped out of her skin at the unexpected mind contact. [i]Do not be afraid. I mean you no harm. I am Carmen. I met your father, many years ago.[/i]

Raylina replied tentatively: [i]Do you live here?[/i]

Carmen sighed mentally, the memories of the past swimming through her eyes. [i]For the moment. I tend to roam wherever my whims take me, through the infinite waves of the sea,[i]

[i]Alone?[/i] Raylina asked.

The whale closed its eyes, still remaining just below the surface. [i]Yes. There were once more, many more. But I am the last of my kind. I have swum alone for over twenty years now. There are other whales, certainly, but not of my kind. My species is all but extinct.[/i]

[i]What happened?[/i]

[i]The metal ones came. They imprisoned my race, killing us one by one and melting our blubber down to power their lights.[/i] A great bitterness filled her voice. [i]I was the only one left when Rayman came to this cove. He destroyed the metal ones here, and released me back into the sea. I rewarded him by leading him to where he needed to go.[/i]

Sadness welled up inside Raylina, sadness for this great, wise creature who was doomed to live her life in isolation. The two females floated there for a minute, filled with melancholy. Finally, Carmen spoke. [i]I know what you seek here.[/i]

Raylina perked up. [i]Really? Have you seen it[/i]

[i]Felt it, yes. It lies further on. It arrived three days ago, and radiates great energy. It scares away the fish who dwell here. You would do well to remove it for me,[/i]

[i]I shall, Carmen,[/i] Raylina promised.

[/i]Then take hold,[/i] Carmen said, presenting her tail to the Ray. [i]And we shall go to it[/i]

Raylina took a deep breath, and grabbed onto the tail.

Egg Carrier, The Iron Mountains

Shadow moved through the battle like a storm, destroying robots and Hoodlums alike who got in his way. Sometimes he wielded the energy rifles of the Hoodlums; sometimes the laser guns of the Egg Pawns; sometimes both at once; and sometimes nothing but his own fists.

Just after he had finished destroying a squad of Pawns, a floating monitor showing Eggman's image hovered into view. "Shadow!" it spoke. "What are you doing here?"

Shadow was reloading the weapons he held in each hand. "Looking for my Chaos Emerald, Doctor,"

Eggman considered this. "While you're here, would you mind helping me destroy these pests? They are proving..."

An explosion rocked the ship, and sirens sounded in the corridors.

...annoying."

Shadow turned his back on the Doctor's monitor, walking away. "Sorry, Doctor, but I am not here to help you,"

"But..."

Shadow pointed his Egg Pawn gun backwards over his shoulder and pulled the trigger, blasting the monitor into scrap. It crashed to the floor, glass splinters sliding across the ground. Shadow didn't break stride.

He found his way to a hole in the side of the ship, where a missile had blown the fuselage open. He gazed upon the chaos outside. Eggman's smaller craft flew among the Hoodlum balloon ships and choppers, attempting to shoot them down, while the balloon ships dropped squads of Hoodlums into the Egg Carrier, where they tried to storm the ship. Shadow spotted Dark Rayman onboard one of the balloon ships, protecting it with the use of his Emerald. He did not appear to be leading it to the Carrier, but was using it to destroy flying Egg Pawns.

The battle had moved over an old Robo-Pirate facility, a prison which once held several Baby Globoxes. Shadow scanned it intently, looking for something he could use to get to Dark Rayman.

He found it.

Whale Bay

Raylina held on for dear life as Carmen swam deeper and deeper into the caves. Whenever her lungs grew tight, the great whale released an air bubble from her blowhole for Raylina to breathe in as they travelled. All sorts of underwater creatures flashed past as they swept through the tunnels: fish, octopi, squid, crabs. Raylina could have sworn she saw a shark five times as long as she was tall swimming past in the other direction.

Finally, they reached a point where Carmen could go no further, as the tunnel narrowed to the point that the whale could not fit. [i]You must go on alone from here[/i] the whale informed Raylina. [i]The great power is just beyond. Fear not, there are air bubbles in abundance in there for you to swallow,[/i]

Raylina nodded. [i]Thank you, Carmen. If you like, I will come here to visit you again,[/i]

Carmen paused for a moment, then spoke. [i]Thank you, great heroine. I would be most grateful for some company. Whales such as myself live for as long as a hundred years, and I have many long weeks alone with my sorrow ahead of me,[/i]

Raylina thanked Carmen again, and then swam forwards into the ever-narrowing tunnel. She felt a shift in the waters as Carmen turned around and left.

She was on her own.

She rose up beyond the tunnel into a larger cave filled with water. As Carmen had promised, air bubbles rose in their dozens from cracks in the floor. Raylina spotted the cyan Chaos Emerald almost straight away, hovering mysteriously in the centre of the cavern. She swam towards it, smiling in triumph...

Boom.

The cave shuddered. Raylina stopped in surprise, looking around.

BOOM.

Fragments of stone fell from the ceiling, drifting towards the cave floor.

BOOM!

With a great rush of water, a large section of the cave wall imploded, collapsing in slow-motion through the water. Raylina swam backwards quickly, out of the path of the falling boulders.

Out of the new gaping hole emerged a hulking, three-legged robot climbed into the cave. Its head looked like a huge, metal pumpkin, with three very long, spindly legs coming from the bottom. A man-shaped energy cannon resided in its mouth, and two robotic fish floated around its head.

(This thing was actually a boss in Rayman 3, in the underwater part of the Land of the Livid Dead)

A Hoodlum pilot spotted Raylina from behind the machine's eye, and turned the energy cannon towards Raylina. Her eyes widened, and she moved aside just as a yellow beam crashed into the wall behind her. The two fish turned towards her, each firing a seeking torpedo from its mouth.

It was on.

The Iron Mountains

Shadow waited until the Egg Carrier was directly above the flat patch on the mountain, and then backed up a few metres. He ran forwards, diving gracefully out of the hole in the Carrier. He spread his arms wide, falling through the air like a parachutist. He closed his eyes as the air rushed past his face, roaring in his ears. The hedgehog fell several hundred metres, extended on hand forwards...

And grabbed a pole protruding from the Pirate facility. The sudden stop, which would have ripped any lesser creature's arm clean off, barely even jarred him. He swung off the pipe, hitting the ground at speed. He skated across the ground, as a turret on the Egg Carrier locked onto him. It fired a barrage of bullets at the hedgehog, but Shadow was too quick, staying just ahead of the turret's line of fire. He got under cover, sliding to a halt as the turret bombarded the prison.

Eggman was watching through the eyes of the turret, trying to gun down Shadow. When the hedgehog disappeared into the sprawling Pirate prison, he swore. "What's that damned hedgehog up to?"

He watched, keeping the turret trained on the prison. While he was watching the building intently, he missed the vehicle outside begin to move.

It was about the same height as a Grolgoth, but was vastly different. It took the shape of a bow-legged, chicken-like robot. The cockpit was inside the head, which hung just below the top of the legs. Its legs were the only extensions of the head; it had no weaponry or instruments. It had been created twenty years ago by the Robo-Pirates for mountain travel, and Rayman had once had to get around it. (In Rayman 2. It appeared in the level the Iron Mountains, where it bounced rocks and stuff up every time it jumped. For any Metal Gear fans, it looks kind of like a Metal Gear Rex.)

The machine shook its legs, going through warm-up routines. It stepped forwards, directed by the driver within.

Shadow the Hedgehog had experience with driving all sorts of vehicles. Tanks, motorcycles, G.U.N. mechs, all things he had driven in his day. He had seen the empty Jumper idling by the prison, and had decided to use it.

Shadow tested the controls, directing the Jumper forwards. It stepped across the uneven ground, feet automatically adapting to the terrain. He pressed a button, and it jumped a couple of metres into the air. It hit the ground, and some loose rocks nearby shot upwards.

Shadow bared his teeth, revealing the two pointed fangs in the top of his mouth. "I like this thing,"

The Jumper leapt into the air, propelled by its powerful legs. It sailed through the sky with awesome grace, and hit a cliff, pushing off that with its feet. Under Shadow's control, it shot through the air and landed cleanly on top of the Egg Carrier, scraping the paint off as it slid to a stop.

In the meantime, the battle was still raging. Eggman's troops were almost all destroyed, while Hoodlums were continually pouring in. The Egg Carrier was being forced to pull out. Shadow directed the Jumper to get off the Carrier just as it blasted away at full speed.

The Hoodlums quickly polished off the remaining Egg Pawns, and began to leave. Shadow was left in the Jumper on top of a cliff. He watched the surviving Hoodlum balloon ships and chopper gunships fly away, Dark Rayman and the green Emerald among them.

Shadow wiped his forehead, and then began to leap after them.

Chapter 13: Defiance

Space Colony ARK

Eggman was furious at the loss of the battle. He was thoughtless with rage, and could not be comforted. Such was his anger at these upstarts who had thought to defeat him, that he decided to order a strike with the Eclipse Cannon upon the Summit Beyond the Clouds.

Waiting until the Ark was aligned properly, he punched in the appropriate codes, cranked the power up to half, and pressed the fire button.

The control room hummed as the Cannon charged, preparing to fire...

And then stopped.

"Insufficient energy source inserted," stated the computer.

Eggman frowned, looking up at the slots which had once held all seven Chaos Emeralds, and now were the homes of the four Masks of Polokus.

The Masks were missing.

He cursed his foolishness at not checking first, and then turned to order a search for them, only to see Mr. Dark standing before him, Masks revolving around a point above his outstretched hand. The grinning, green-blue Water mask. The squared, serious-looking Stone mask. The anguished, green-eyed Fire mask. The orange, satisfied Air mask.

[img] /wiki/en/File:Four_Masks_of_[/img]

Such power was contained in these artefacts. The four Masks together possessed equal power, and rather similar properties, to the seven Chaos Emeralds together.

"Looking for these?" the sorcerer asked, face, as always, cloaked in shadows by his broad-rimmed hat.

Eggman reached for them. "Yes! Why did you remove them? I must use them at once!"

Mr. Dark closed his hand, and the Masks vanished. "No."

Eggman turned red with rage. "You dare defy my wishes!? I am Doctor Ivo Robotnik! I need those Masks to destroy my enemies and take my rightful place as ruler of..."

Dark drew himself to his full height, which was almost as tall as Eggman. "Do not give me orders, scientist. I am not some paltry slave who you can command as you wish. I have seen power you would never even dream of. I do not bow to the wishes of fat, over-ambitious doctors who do not know their place!"

Eggman opened his mouth to retaliate, but Dark cut him off. "The Cannon must not be used without thought. You cannot fire upon this planet without due thought and consideration. If you destroyed the Summit Beyond the clouds, millions of tonnes of ice and water would be instantly turned to vapour, drastically affecting the Crossroads' climate. You have already created an imbalance with your ill-thought destruction of the Marshes of Awakening. If you worsen it further with your petty whims for vengeance, there is no telling how the Crossroads will be affected."

"What do I care?" spat Eggman. "I have no interest in this world. It can go to hell for all I care,"

"You may not," Dark said. "But I do. I will not stand here and allow you to destroy it,"

Eggman sputtered with rage. "You...you..."

Dark turned to leave. "You may have the Masks only when I allow it, Robotnik,"

He left the Doctor standing there, face red, unable to speak.

Eggman saw the world through the eyes of a scientist. To him, everything was numbers and figures, merely a collection of atoms and sub-atomic particles. The universe had no great purpose, no meaning, no fate.

Mr. Dark, however, was a sorcerer, a powerful magician. He could see past these trivialities. Certainly, he understood the science of the universe, but he could also see the great powers which pushed things into motion. He understood the grand schemes of the Gods and the Ancients, and he understood that life was more than complete chance. The universe had a purpose, of that he was certain. And he would unlock that purpose.

Whale Bay

Sonic paced back and forth in the chamber that contained the entrance to the underground tunnel system, anxious for the female Ray's safety. She was really no more than a child, and he was very worried about what was happening down there.

Then he reminded himself that he, too, was no more than a child. They were around the same age, mentally and physically. But the difference here was experience. Sonic had fought Eggman on countless occasions, saving Mobius from his ravages and the ravages of other evils. Raylina, however, had lived a comfortable life separate from the evils of the universe. Born of a fairy and a limbless being, she had the power to change worlds. She just had no idea how to wield it.

Sonic was awoken from his reverie by the sounds of a landing coming from outside. He could hear the slightly ridiculous voices of the Hoodlums, babbling in their strange language. Sonic shook his head. Looked like he would have to do some fighting as well. He trotted out of the facility to see a swarm of Hoodlums landing from their balloon craft, covered by the helicopter gunships. He was just in time to see a monstrous, three legged contraption disappear into the waves, searching for a way into the tunnels.

The Hoodlums spotted him standing in the doorway. They ran towards him, shouting and gesturing with their rifles.

Sonic grinned. "Time to run,"

The three-legged robot took aim once again at Raylina, preparing to unleash its missiles and laser cannon upon her. It fired its laser, sweeping it from left to right. Raylina dodged by flipping backwards over it, again and again. Then the laser stopped, and the hovering metal fish fired a torpedo after her. A gun shaped like the torso of a man appeared in the robot's mouth, firing rapid bolts of energy from its arms in Raylina's direction. It was slow to turn, and she was able to dodge them without undue difficulty. This machine's weakness was its sluggish speed, Raylina realised. She swam towards the open mouth of the robot, torpedo trailing behind her. When she was close enough, she performed an underwater backflip so that she was now behind the missile. With this sudden loss of target, the torpedo locked onto the gun inside the robot's mouth. It thudded into it, exploding and damaging the gun quite badly. One of its arms was unable to fire. The cannon retracted into the robot's mouth, and the other energy cannon fired another beam. Raylina avoided it, swallowing air bubbles when she could, and waited until the mouth opened again. When it did, she swam forwards into it. The man-cannon searched for her, but could not find her as she was behind it. She smiled slightly, closing her fist. It glowed with blue energy as she punched a hole straight through the cannon's chest. It sparked and collapsed, unable to fire again.

Raylina kicked out just as the mouth closed again, and turned to face the machine. She swam upwards so that she was level with the cockpit, where she could see a single Hoodlum looking at her, mouth open in awe. Another torpedo was launched towards her, and she dodged once again, allowing the missile to thud with a crunch into the robot's eye, where the Hoodlum was piloting it. The glass held. Just.

Raylina floated backwards, kicking to stay level with the machine, and held her hands behind her. A blue ball of energy appeared between her hands, growing until it was a sphere as large as her body. Electricity crackled across its surface, casting a blue light across her body. She released the sphere, and it travelled through the water, speeding towards the cockpit. The weakened glass collapsed, and the loss of pressure had catastrophic effect. The entire pumpkin-shaped head of the machine crumpled like paper, collapsing inwards. Bubbles rushed out of every edifice, streaming upwards. The thing's body collapsed to the cave's floor, landing with a thud.

A single Black Lum struggled free of the wreckage, bedraggled and stunned. It attempted to swim away using its tiny wings, with not a lot of success. Raylina was not worried for its sake. Lums could not die.

Raylina swam downwards to the robot's wreckage, spotting the Emerald amongst the scrap metal. She held it aloof. Her words muffled by the water, she uttered "Chaos Control!"

In a flash of blue, she was gone.

Sonic ran at full speed toward the Hoodlums down the beach, dodging their rifle shots without difficulty. His shoes threw up clouds of sand where they met the ground. Within second he was close enough to attack. He leapt high into the air, his body curving into a ball, and shot straight at the foremost Hoodlum. It collapsed in a pile of cloth, and he hit the ground still in a ball, spinning at speed through the Hoodlums. They fell like grass before a mower as he carved a path through them. He bounced off the ground again, homing in on a small, hovering Hoodlum, held in the air by its heli-pack. From it, he launched upwards to a balloon ship, which was trying to take off. He uncurled, grabbing the ropes which attached the balloon to the boat-like platform which constituted the balloon ship. He spun around them once, launching himself feet-first towards the balloon. His momentum carried him straight through the balloon, leaving two large punctures on either side. He sailed through the air as the balloon ship crashed to the ground, taking out ten Hoodlums. Sonic shot upwards, managing to grab a protruding piece of wood in the bottom of a helicopter gunship. He used that to swing upwards, breaking through the bottom and into the cockpit. The pilot turned around just in time to be launched through the windscreen by a homing attack from Sonic. The hedgehog went through the glass with it, uncurling once again and landing crouched in the sand.

A hulking Hoodlum wearing a large chestplate thudded towards him. It carried a cannon on its shoulder, operated by a pull-chain which dangled near its hand. The Heckler aimed its gun directly at Sonic and pulled the chain several times. Sonic jumped just as the energy thudded into the sand beneath him, fusing it into glass. He homing attacked the Heckler, but bounced of its impervious armour. The Heckler cackled in delight, grabbing Sonic by the neck. It peered at him with its scarecrow eyes as Sonic struggled futilely.

Raylina appeared on the beach to see Sonic crash out of the helicopter gunship. She looked around frantically. Her eyes fell upon a red tin can lying in the sand, a round, Hoodlum face printed on the label. It had been thrown clear of the helicopter when it crashed.

"Laser Washing Powder..." she read, eyebrow raised.

She broke it open, and the powder within burst forth.

"Hey, potatoface!"

The Heckler turned towards the new noise. Sonic looked around, struggling in the Heckler's grip, and smiled in surprise.

There stood Raylina. Her clothes had been turned red, her hair blue. The gloves on her hands were encased in red steel, with spikes protruding from them. One of her fists was spinning around in a circle, charging its power. "Drop that hedgehog," she said.

The Heckler obliged, tossing Sonic to the sand. Raylina ran at it, unleashing her completely charged Heavy Metal Fist. It hit the Heckler's armour with outstanding force, launching its chestplate high into the air. It looked downwards in shock as Raylina pounded the soft cloth beneath, until the chestplate, attracted by the Heckler's magnetism, landed back on the Hoodlum. It fired its cannon again, missing Raylina by inches. Sonic leapt back into action, climbing up the Heckler's back and grabbing the cannon. He ripped it off, tossing it aside, leaving Raylina free to once again remove the Hoodlum's chestplate and pound the living daylights out of it. Just as the chestplate was about to re-land, Sonic launched himself at the Heckler's body, finishing it off with a final spinning blow.

The shock troop fell to the ground, fabric collapsing into a pile.

Raylina's clothes returned to normal, the Washing Powder's effect having worn off. Two helicopter gunships were bearing down on them, and the rest of the Hoodlums were regrouping to come after them.

Sonic grinned at the Ray. "Shall we?"

Raylina climbed into his arms, and he ran.

Summit Beyond the Clouds

Rayman stepped out into the snow, feet sinking into the icy substance. Rayden had shown him how to use the Emerald to transport oneself, although how Rayden himself knew was beyond Rayman.

The limbless being smiled, memories returning to him. Ah yes, this very spot was where he had landed with Globox all those years ago. Back then, the Hoodlums had been a disorganised rabble with little leadership. Now, however, they were directed by Dark Rayman, and were a far larger threat. Especially if Rayman's shadowy counterpart managed to lay his hands on more Emeralds.

Rayman began the long journey to the mountain peak, where he would be able to enter the Hoodlums' Headquarters.

Shadow's Jumper landed with a heavy thud on the escarpment. He gazed upon the icy reaches of the mountain. He saw a lot of Hoodlum activity near the peak. Well, it looked as though that was where he had to go. Dark Rayman was soon going to discover why Shadow the Hedgehog was known throughout Mobius as the Ultimate Lifeform.

Chapter 14: Slumbering Omnipotence

Whale Bay

Sonic ran with Raylina in his arms, building up speed as three helicopter gunships chased after them, guns blazing. They reached the end of the beach, and Sonic leapt into the air, using the rocks to climb upwards and into the stony terrain beyond. The choppers continued to pursue them, and Sonic leapt from rock to rock with graceful ease to avoid their bullets.

Sonic skidded to a halt into an outcrop, sheltered briefly from the deadly rain. He put Raylina gently on her feet. "Got the Emeralds?" he asked.

Raylina produced both the cyan and the purple Chaos Emeralds, smiling in triumph. She handed Sonic the cyan Emerald, and he spun it once on the tip of his finger, catching it as it fell, and called, almost lazily, "Chaos Control!"

Summit Beyond the Clouds

Rayman had been climbing the mountain for barely half an hour when the snowstorm hit.

Pieces of ice and snow swirled around him, the wind cutting into him like a knife. He began to shiver violently, stumbling blindly through the storm. He had to find some shelter to wait out the storm in. Even he could not take much more of this.

At the very thought, as though sent by the Gods themselves, the entrance to a small cave loomed suddenly out of the white chaos. Rayman brushed the snow from his eyes, and trudged into the cave.

Tomb of the Ancients

The location known to the inhabitants of the Crossroads of Dreams as the Tomb of the Ancients was a dangerous place, of poisoned sludge, malignant spirits, Zombie Chickens, and a twisted maze of tunnels. An actual tomb had been built on the surface by the Pirates in their first invasion, where they had laid to rest the rusted bodies of their Admirals who had died on their voyage of discovery towards this world. Most of them had actually been killed by Razorbeard in his ambition for power among the Pirates, although of course this was not acknowledged on the tombstones.

But this was not the reason the place was known as the Tomb of the Ancients. No, the true purpose of the place had long been forgotten by those who knew it by that name, except for a very select few. For deep under the surface, under the drains and the ghosts and the shadows, their lay another tomb, one far grander and larger. Within this tomb lay beings so old, and yet so young at the same time, beings with power unimaginable and unattainable by even the gods. Beings that lay in their tomb even though they were not truly dead, but merely in a sleep so deep that they could not be awakened except by the one they chose.

The Ancients.

And with them lay another group of ancient beings.

Space Colony ARK

Eggman stood bent over his work, spanner in hand. A three-dimensional hologram projection of Rayman revolved before him, along with schematics and blueprints of his design. "This will show that upstart," he muttered, referring to Mr. Dark.

Ivo Robotnik wiped the sweat from his forehead, straightening his one-way glasses. Tightening the final bolt of his creation, he straightened and stepped back to admire his work. He threw a switch on his remote control.

A pair of red eyes flickered on.

A metal head turned.

Eggman began to chuckle.

Tomb of the Ancients

Raylina stepped away from Sonic, gazing in a mixture of awe and disgust at her surroundings. They had landed on a small, slime-covered islet in the middle of a sludge-filled stream. They were inside some sort of open-roofed mausoleum, the rest of the structure stretching upwards around them in a small valley. Walls of grey stone lay strewn across the landscape, and groups of pale, translucent spectres rose in columns towards the cloud-filled skies.

Next to zero sunlight was filtering through the jet-black clouds. The only source of light were seemingly randomly placed flame torches, burning without any visible source of fuel.

Around them was the Tomb, a structure of grey stone, with metal grills as windows. Various entrances and exits led to dark tunnels or stagnant pools. The entire place emanated a distinct air of darkness and evil.

"Gee, there are some lovely places on your planet," muttered Sonic. Raylina cast him a withering glance, then proceeded to hop across the stream.

Without warning, a rag-clad Zombie Chicken rose from the stream, grasping at her with its claws. Raylina screamed, almost slipping, and just made it to the other side. The Chicken moaned, turning its blank gaze towards Sonic. Raylina dispatched it with a single energy ball. It collapsed in on itself, breaking into pieces and returning to the bottom of the stream.

"Some nice, friendly creatures, too," the hedgehog muttered again.

Raylina chose to ignore that. "Can you sense the Emerald?" she asked.

Sonic leapt into the air, curling into a ball as he did, and shot across the small stream, leaving a faint blue trail in the air behind him, which quickly faded. He landed beside Raylina, still as a ball, and bounced straight up, uncurled in midair, and landed lightly on his feet. "Yep," he said, winking at Raylina. She cocked one eyebrow, unimpressed. "Showoff. Was that entirely necessary?"

Sonic grinned, turning towards the Emerald's energy. "Maybe not. But it was fun," Raylina shook her head, and followed him.

They remained constantly on guard, keeping watch for other unknown evils. They reached a doorway with two spear-wielding statues on either side. On closer inspection the statues resembled the bodies of deactivated Robo-Pirate Henchmen her father had once shown her.

"Why don't they move, daddy?" she had asked.

"Because I went to their home," he had answered, the ghost of the past darkening his eyes. "And destroyed the thing that kept them alive,"

"Why did you do that, daddy?"

"Because if I didn't, they would have destroyed everything."

Raylina hadn't known what he had meant at the time, nor, as a child, had she really cared. But now, years later, as the world she knew and loved crumbled around her, Rayman's words held new meaning.

Raylina shook herself, and glanced at Sonic to find him frowning worriedly at her. She smiled. "What's the matter with you?"

He returned the smile. "I was wondering the same about you," he replied. "Maybe we should rest here a while before we try and find the Emerald,"

"I doubt we'll find a more restful place in all the Crossroads," Raylina said jokingly.

And so, under the watchful gaze of the two Pirate statues, they sat facing each other with the two Emeralds between them. Only then did Raylina notice how empty her stomach was. "I'm starving!" she said in surprise. Sonic laughed. "You picked a great place to notice that! I doubt there's anything even remotely edible for a hundred miles!"

Raylina nodded, and sighed. "Oh well. I guess food can wait,"

"What I'd love right now is a big chilli dog,"

Raylina giggled. "Why not? Chilli dogs all round,"

Sonic gazed into the sky for a moment, then looked at Raylina with a mischievous look in his eye.

"So... Shadow, huh? What makes him so attractive to you?"

"Raylina blushed, locking her gaze on the cyan Emerald. "Well... he seems so... deep. And mysterious, like there's something hidden inside him that no-one can ever see. It makes me want to dig it out and see it for myself. His past burns in his eyes, it haunts his every movement. I want... I want to help him.

"Plus," she added, "He's quite good looking,"

"Well, said Sonic, grinning at that last point. "You should try to talking to him, to get to know him. Maybe it could work!"

"But... When this is all over, aren't you two going back to Mobius?"

"Yeah, but who knows? Maybe we'll find a way to keep in contact. After all, Eggman got the entire ARK here. If he can do that, I'm sure we can return to visit,"

Raylina contemplated that. "But...I don't know how to talk to him. I wouldn't be good enough for him. And besides, he's a different species to me!"

"Your parents are of different races, aren't they?"

That stopped the flow of argument from her mouth.

"And as for you not being good enough, that's nonsense! You're pretty, you're intelligent, and, despite your lack of limbs, you're actually kinda sexy,"

Raylina blushed profusely. She wouldn't have guessed that Sonic could be so sensitive.

Feeling a sudden need for action, she grabbed the cyan Emerald and stood up. "Can we go now?"

Writer's Note: I know I diverged slightly from Sonic's traditional character here, but I felt like the story called for it, and who says Sonic doesn't have a more sensitive side?

They entered the crypt under the guard of the statues. There were two rows of stone sarcophagi, each one with Robo-Pirate lettering on it detailing its rusted contents. At the far end of the room, in front of a metal grill overlooking a sludge-filled lake, were two lidless sarcophagi shadowed by oversized tombstones, leaving the bodies within open to scrutiny. Raylina jogged to the graves to take a peek inside.

Within each sarcophagus was the rust covered body of a Robo-Pirate Admiral. Raylina didn't recognise them for what they truly were, but Rayman would have known them to be Razorbeard's kin, the same model of robot as the one who had nearly destroyed all they held dear.

Raylina shuddered at the sight of the bodies.

"Um... Raylina..." came Sonic's voice from behind her. She turned to hear the shriek of rusted, century-old robots come to life.

The guards, whom she had assumed were mere statues, were two barely operable Henchman 300s. Quite possibly the only two remaining Pirates in existence.

The Henchman 800 was the standard model of infantry at the time of the first Pirate invation, superseded by the newer Henchman 5000 by the time of the second invasion. Predating the 800 was the Henchman 1000. Before that model were the tougher, yet more expensive to manufacture, Barrel and Gorrila Pirates. Now, predating even those relics was the Henchman 300, one of the earliest models of Pirate infantry. Slow moving, and with no in-built weaponry, these were the two Pirates advancing on Raylina and Sonic, hefting their spears, activated by their interference with the tombs.

Sonic backed away from the ancient machines...

And was swallowed by the earth below him.

"Sonic!" Raylina screamed. She tried charging a few balls of energy and hurling them at the advancing robots, but to no avail: they bounced right off. Raylina took a step backwards...

And fell through one of the many booby-trap trapdoors in the ground.

She screamed as she slid down through a maze of slimy pipes, carried downwards into the ground. She struggled to slow her descent, but before she knew it she was at the bottom, sitting on a cushioning layer of moss, with Sonic standing in front of her. "One day," the hedgehog muttered, "I am going to find a Chaos Emerald lying on a bed of flowers in the middle of a park, without anything guarding it. And I will pick it up and continue on my way, whistling merrily,"

Raylina laughed, and stood up. "Nothing but a dream, my spiny friend,"

Sonic had spotted something in the ground. Sparked by curiosity, he bent down and wiped the moss from a perfectly flat, purple, paving stone. It was engraved with the language of the Crossroads.

Raylina bent down to read the script. "Below lay the Lords of all Creation, and with them their champions,"

Sonic raised an eyebrow. "Wonder what that means..." He looked up suddenly, eyes glimmering. "I can feel the Emerald! It's really close!" He turned down a nearby tunnel. "This way!"

Raylina followed him, weaving through the mess of tunnels, cobwebs, and slime.

They reached a small chamber dominated by a large spider's web, stretching from all corners of the room.

Hanging, typically, in the centre of the web was the last unfound Chaos Emerald.

"So much for a bed of flowers,"

That's when they noticed the white eyes gleaming at them from the shadows. Dozens of pairs of beady, white eyes. As her eyes adjusted, the eyes could seen to belong to many black, hairy, man-sized spiders, lurking in the darkness at the edges of the chamber. They were watching Sonic and Raylina, saliva dripping from their mandibles, but they daren't stray closer.

They were afraid.

Afraid of the Emerald.

Raylina realised this. She stepped into the chamber, towards the Emerald. "What are you doing?" hissed Sonic.

"Just be ready to warp us out of here," she hissed back.

She approached the Emerald, careful not to look at the arachnids. She reached up, and pulled it from the web

The instant she did, as though a hidden switch had been thrown, the spiders swarmed at her, climbing over each other and the web in a mad bid for fresh prey.

But then Sonic was there, cutting through the black mass like a knife through butter. He landed beside Raylina, both of his Emeralds drawn. The spiders shrank back, repelled by the three Emeralds together. Raylina and Sonic walked to the edge of the chamber, the many spiders' eyes upon them, and into the tunnel. Sonic grinned uneasily, keeping a wary eye on the eight-legged monsters.

"Let's go help Shadow. CHAOS...Control!"

Okay, I know this chapter wasn't all that great. I'll try and make up for it with the next few, which I already have written, but I haven't got around to typing up. Thanks for reading!

Chapter 15: The Ultimate

On the peak of the Summit Beyond the Clouds, the summit of the Summit, as it were, was a huge, round trapdoor, which led to the centre of the Black Lums' power: Hoodlum Headquarters. Previously, Rayman had gained entrance to the Headquarters simply by standing on the trapdoor at the same time as Globox, who had, incidentally, been frozen in a block of ice at the time. But now, under Dark Rayman's leadership, security had been tightened somewhat. There was now a round the clock garrison at the peak, with a regiment of twenty Hoodmongers (Hoodblasters for PlayStation owners) led by a Hoodlum Officer, five Spinneroos, and three Hecklers, as well as a direct tunnel to the Hoodstormer barracks.

All this meant nothing to Shadow.

Two of the Hoodmongers were playing a game of cards, one cheating quite blatantly with several valuable cards up his voluminous sleeves. The other Hoodlum wore a frustrated look as he pushed three pieces of fabric towards the winner and challenged him to yet another rematch. The cheater was only too happy to oblige. But that was when Shadow's Jumper sailed over the horizon and landed amidst the garrison. It skidded several metres, crushing the cheating Hoodlum and leaving his opponent standing bewildered and stunned before a broken card table.

The other Hoodlums leapt into action immediately, yelling incomprehensible words and firing at the Jumper. The Hecklers charged without thought, pulling repeatedly on their cannons' pull-chains. Shadow directed the Jumper toward the trapdoor, kicking on Heckler clean off the peak of the mountain.

Hoodstormers began to pour from the barracks tunnel, rotors spinning. They hovered around the Jumper like flies, firing shot after shot at it. The bolts bounced off the vehicle's tough armour, deflected like a drunken Teensie from a fairy nightclub.

Shadow drove the Jumper forwards, stepping laboriously towards the trapdoor. The Hoodmongers in front of it valiantly held their ground, right up until it stepped right through them, crushing several of their cloth bodies with a single foot.

The Jumper stepped onto the trapdoor. It groaned, sagged, then collapsed, and the Jumper, Shadow within it, fell into the depths of the Headquarters.

"Perimeter breach. All available personnel to main shaft."

The feminine voice rang out throughout the base, alerting every Black Lum inside the hollow mountain to Shadow's presence. Which, oddly, was only a few dozen. The rest of Dark Rayman's army was on the move, marching away from the Summit Beyond the Clouds.

A dozen Hoodmongers crowded at the base of the Headquarters' main shaft, rifles aimed upwards. Great, metallic booms echoed down to them as the Jumper clanged against the many walkways and pipes in its way, freefalling towards a hard landing. The Hoodmongers backed to the edges of the shaft, gazing intently along the sights of their rifles. Then, with an almighty crash, the Jumper hit the bottom, throwing up a cloud of parts and dust. The Hoodlums kept their rifles trained on the thoroughly destroyed machine, and when the dust settled, an Officer stepped cautiously forwards, towards the Jumper's cockpit, now attached to the main body by no more than a few wires. The Officer found a release on the cockpit's exterior, pressing it.

The blast shield slid open, revealing an entirely empty control booth.

The Hoodlum spun around rifle up, to see his squad lying in tattered rags around him, and Shadow the Hedgehog, Ultimate Life Form, standing in front of him.

The Officer yelled and pulled his trigger, but Shadow knocked it aside, kicked him in the gut (or where the gut would be) and wrested the rifle from his hands. Shadow shot the doubled-over Hoodlum in the head, then reloaded the rifle and walked away.

Alarms sounded throughout the base as Shadow made his way like a storm towards Dark Rayman. He fought through legions of Black Lums, as they threw everything they had at him. He left a trail of destruction in his path: thermal power generators, run from the rivers of lava; assembly lines, building weapons, vehicles, and clothing; and some sort of contraption whose practical use escaped Shadow, but which the Hoodlums referred to as the Horrible Machine.

Finally, Dark Rayman decided to face the dark Hedgehog himself.

Shadow, in a spiny, spinning ball, slammed into the chest of a Hoodmonger, thus finishing off a large squad of them. He uncurled and began to run again, only to be knocked to the ground by a surge of dark power.

He shook his head to clear it and looked up to see Dark Rayman hovering in the air above, the Green Emerald floating before him.

Shadow leapt from the ground, curling into a ball and flying straight at the shade. He remained where he was, but grabbed Shadow in midair swung the curled-up hedgehog and tossed him forcefully against a metal column. Shadow slid to the ground and struggled to find his feet, but Dark Rayman slammed into him from above, knocking them both straight through the floor. Shadow managed to turn himself upright just as he landed on hard rock.

They were now in a large cavern which appeared to house, of all things, a factory making massive plum pies. The floor of the cavern was, however, covered in molten lava. Shadow climbed once again to his feet. He had landed, quite luckily, on one of several small stone islands in the lava lake. Dark Rayman floated several metres above the magma, the left side of his mouth bent in a contemptuous smile. (Before anybody says anything, I am well aware of the difference between magma and lava. I am simply using both terms for the sake of descriptive variety.)

"You cannot win, hedgehog," he said, his voice echoing around the cavern. "I have already wiped the floor with you,"

"So it would seem," Shadow replied.

Dark Rayman cocked his head slightly, a frown clouding his grey face. "Why do you fight for this world, Hedgehog? Surely it's fate is of no interest to you,"

Shadow narrowed his eyes. He raised on hand to chest height, wrapping his other hand around his wrist. "The fates of all worlds are linked," He twisted the golden ring cuff on his wrist, undoing it and letting it fall to the ground with a chink. "as you well know, shade,"

He reached for his other cuff. "And I fight for all who need me,"

Shadow let the other cuff fall.

Power flooded through him from his Emerald, shadows gathering at his wrists. He rose into the air, floating equal with Dark Rayman.

"I am Shadow the Hedgehog, Ultimate Life Form as created by Doctor Gerald Robotnik. This is WHO I AM!"

He shot forwards, taking Dark Rayman by surprise and carrying them both upwards. They flew straight through one of the huge pies and hit a steel wall. The taste of plum and pastryin his mout, Shadow pinned Dark Rayman to the wall and punched him several times in the face. Dark Rayman kicked Shadow upwards, then flew at him, hitting Shadow in the belly with his shoulder and carrying them both upwards a metre or so. Shadow grabbed the shade's waist, pulling himself over his shoulder to flip around and kick Dark Rayman in the groin, fllowed by a punch to the small of his back. This sent him flying forwards. Shadow then used Chaos Blast, creating a shock wave which blew Dark Rayman back through the ceiling and several more floors. Hoodlums scattered as Shadow followed him, choosing to create his own holes rather than use the ones Dark Rayman had made. The shade finally stopped himself in the main shaft, turned, and flew at Shadow. They met at high speed, creating an explosion which blew several Hoodlums into the main shaft, where they fell like Autumn leaves. (Fall leaves to you yanks.)

The two flew into the centre of the shaft, facing each other across a distance of about twenty metres. Shadow felt the force of Dark Rayman's will against his, and retaliated, pushing against the shade's strength. For several seconds they floated in midair, expressions of intense concentration on their faces, an invisible battle occurring beneath the surface. Finally, Shadow felt Dark Rayman's will waver, and an expression of fear crossed his face. Shadow took full advantage, pushing straight through with his mind and overcoming him. Immobilised, Dark Rayman could only watch as Shadow charged and released a Chaos Spear. The golden bolt of Chaos energy flew through the air, impacting Dark Rayman in the centre of his 'O'. He was thrown backwards, leaving the green Chaos Emerald floating in the air. Bereaved of its energy, Dark Rayman fell down the shaft for hundreds of metres.

Shadow retrieved the green Emerald, then floated across to a nearby walkway, where he promptly collapsed, exhausted.

Chapter 16: Back to the Future

Hoodlum Headquarters, Summit Beyond the Clouds

Raylina and Sonic arrived on the scene to find Shadow close to unconsciousness with two Chaos Emeralds held in his fists. They ran to him, Raylina helping him up. "Steady, buddy," said Sonic.

"MY... cuffs," Shadow forced out. Sonic understood. "Where?" Shadow pointed to the twin holes he and Dark Rayman had punched through the steel walls. Sonic nodded. "I'll fetch them for you,"

He left to search for them.

Raylina produced the cyan and white Emeralds, lying them on the walkway. "These may help you recover your strength." Shadow nodded. "Thank you." He sat in the middle of the four Emeralds, drawing strength from their energy. His eyes began to regain their solid determination.

"Where is the purple Emerald?" he asked.

"Sonic has it," she replied. Drawing up her courage, she sat beside him and slipped her hand into his. He glanced up, looking at her for a moment, and then the corner of his mouth twitched.

"What is this place?" she asked, gazing around at their surroundings. "Hoodlum Headquarters," Shadow replied. "I think it's an old, hollowed-out volcano. Outside, the mountain is covered in snow and ice,"

He could see Hoodlums running around far above and below them, attempting to correct the chaos he had wrought throughout their base. "We should leave before the Black Lums regroup,"

"Once Sonic gets back," Raylina said.

Sonic peered through the suspiciously Hedgehog-shaped hole in the wall of his corridor into the Foundry cavern. He spotted Shadow's ring cuffs resting on a rock island below. Checking the corridor one last time for Hoodlums, he climbed onto the hole and launched himself out across the lava, dozens of metres below. He landed on a metal platform at the end of a conveyor belt, rolling to absorb the impact. He jumped onto the belt from the same motion, running against it to the end, where he jumped against the wall and kicked off it, flying through the air to land squarely in the centre of Shadow's island.

Sonic dusted himself off and picked up the two golden ring cuffs, spinning one around his finger. He knew what they were: as the Ultimate Life Form, Shadow needed some sort of limit on his pwer, or else the enormous energies he had access to would consume him. That's what the cuffs were for: they limited his power and allowed him to control it without fear of destroying himself and everything around him. On occasion, when the need was great, he was able to remove them and feel the full extent of his power, and draw far more from a Chaos Emerald.

Sonic looked around to find that he was stranded. There was no way out from his little island. He sighed, and produced the purple Emerald. He didn't like to use Chaos Control as often as he had been lately. Usually he only used it when the need was great. Shadow, on the other hand, used it and his other Chaos powers whenever he felt the need, almost, in Sonic's opinion, to the point of abuse.

[i]Oh well,[/i] he thought. [i]Nothing else for it.[/i] He raised the Emerald, about to utter the two words which would return him to Shadow and Raylina, when something thumped him hard on the back of the head, knocking him out cold.

Shadow breathed in a gasp of air, eyes widening. "We have to get to Sonic, now!"

They gathered the Emeralds hastily. "You have to do it," said Shadow. "If I use Chaos Control without my cuffs, I could kill us both, and take a sizeable part of this mountain with us. Just keep Sonic in your mind, and that's where we'll go."

Raylina hesitated for a moment, the nodded. "Chaos Control."

They materialised in the middle of the lava, to find Sonic unconscious and Dark Rayman floating above them with the purple Emerald in hand. "Sorry to rain on your little parade, Ray, Hedgehog," he said. "But this does not belong to you. Chaos Control!"

A swirling white and blue vortex appeared in the air behind Dark Rayman, churning away at reality's fabric. Hands spread beside him, the copy floated backwards into the portal and disappeared. The portal collapsed in on itself, leaving no trace of Dark Rayman or the Emerald. "Damn," cursed Shadow.

"Where did he go?" Raylina asked.

"He knew that he didn't stand a chance against the three of us together with four Chaos Emeralds, so instead of fighting us he sent the Emerald back in time,"

"What?!"

"Normally it takes at least two Chaos Control users and as many Emeraldsto open a time portal, but Dark Rayman is different. He must be able to do it himself. Just like Mephiles could,"

Shadow drew the white Emerald. "We'll have to follow him,"

"Wait a second, what? Go back in time!?"

Shadow nodded, picking his cuffs from Sonic's body. "We have no other choice. We can now follow his trail to his destination. It might be the only chance we have to get the Emerald back. But we must do it quickly, before the trail fades,"

Raylina looked very worried. But after a moment's consideration, she nodded. "Leave him," Shadow said as she bent over Sonic. "There's no time,"

Raylina produced the cyan Emerald, raising it to the sky. Shadow did the same with his. Facing each other, they shouted "Chaos Control!"

A swirling time portal appeared before them, opening like the maw of the underworld. They lowered the Emeralds, looked at each other. Shadow nodded. Raylina looked at Sonic's unconscious form one last time, then jumped up and into the portal.

For a moment, all was peace. She was floating in a white void, the noise and chaos of the world behind her.

And then it was over.

Anguish Lagoon, the Dream Forest, during Rayman 1

(Anyone who played the original Rayman will recognise the following moment)

Raylina tumbled out of a portal onto the soft grass, landing on her back. Shadow followed, landing gracefully in a crouched position. Climbing to her feet, Raylina realised where they were. "I know this place," she said. "We're in the Dream Forest!"

And so they were. The characteristic vines, red fruit, pink plants, and trees of the Forest surrounded them, and a cacophony of insect and bird sounds echoed through the foliage.

Shadow looked up suddenly. "Something's coming," he said. He and Raylina hid in some bushes at the edge of the small clearing, peering through the leaves.

Buzzing out of the trees came a purple Moskito, flying in an intoxicated zig-zag style. The pulp of red fruit dripped from its proboscis, indicating the source of the insect's disorientation: the spiky, crimson fruit which populated the Forest were of a slightly hallucinogenic nature.

"Wait a second, whispered Raylina. "That's Foilarak! He's a scout for the Fighting Squad. But what is he doing here? And why is he so drunk?"

Foilarak hovered several metres above the ground, seemingly unsure of what to do. That's when a crash came from above. A branch fell from its parent tree and landed on the Moskito's head. For a moment, he was stunned. Then he got angry, buzzing loudly and seeking out a target for his vengeance.

That's when a young Rayman fell from the sky, landing with an "Oomph," the grass. Raylina gasped, but Shadow covered her mouth with his hand. "We can't interfere," he muttered. Raylina nodded, and Shadow removed his hand. She watched as Rayman looked up and saw the cranky Moskito bearing down on him. He smiled and threw a punch at it.

"He looks younger than I am!" Raylina said in wonder, watching him fight. "Wow... look at him! This is so weird. He must be like, ten, and there he is fighting!"

"Sometimes necessity robs you of your childhood," said Shadow.

Rayman continued to pound on Foilarak, who was no match for him in his drunken state. Finally, the Moskito fell to the ground in a pile of limbless body parts. Rayman celebrated by raising his hands in the air and performing a short, shuffling dance which made Raylina giggle. Foilarak reassembled himself and promptly began to sob, leaking tears like a fountain. Rayman stopped dancing and went over to him, comforting him.

As this was happening, Raylina spotted something moving in the bushes on the other side of the clearing. She squinted, trying to make it out, and gasped when she realised it was Dark Rayman, whom they had followed from the future. His yellow, pupil-less eyes glinted in malice as he lifted his hand to strike at the younger version of his namesake. "We have to do some..." she looked beside her to find Shadow gone. She looked back across the clearing to see the black Hedgehog tackle Dark Rayman tot he ground. With a burst of Chaos Control, he warped them both to another place, leaving Raylina alone.

Meanwhile, Foilarak and the true Rayman were talking, oblivious to these activities. They had somehow become friends, and were now shaking hands. Rayman climbed onto the insect's bac, and they both flew away.

A flash of blue light, and they were replaced by Shadow and Dark Rayman. Shadow tossed the darkling to the ground, pinning him with his foot. "If you had killed him, you could have collapsed the entire space-time continuum!" he shouted as Raylina ran across to join them, a ball of blue energy in her hands. "Have you no regard for time or space?"

Dark Rayman chuckled. "My master transcends both. Very well, take the Emerald," He dissolved into black liquid, flowing away and leaving the purple Emerald beneath Shadow's foot. "But it will not suffice to save you from ruin," the liquid said as it retreated into the undergrowth.

"Shall we return to your own time?" Shadow asked, picking up the Emerald.

Hoodlum Headquarters, Summit Beyond the Clouds

Sonic returned to consciousness just as Raylina and Shadow landed beside him. "Wha- what happened?" he asked groggily.

"Dark Rayman took your Emerald," Shadow replied. He held the gem up for Sonic to see. "We took it back."

Sonic shook his head and climbed to his feet. "Well, I guess that's alright then,"

Raylina produced the white and cyan Emeralds, holding one in either hand. Shadow tossed the purple Emerald to Sonic and produced the greed and yellow gems. "Now we have fice Chaos Emeralds," said Shadow. "Two remain. The red is in Eggman's possession,"

He closed his eyes for a moment, then said: "The blue Emerald is nearby. I think somebody has it. Not Dark Rayman, though,"

"Well, there's no point warping away if he's close. Let's just look for him on foot, wherever he is," Sonic said. "Or she," Raylina retorted. Sonic nodded.

The true, present Rayman walked through a dark tunnel, the blue Emerald held in front of him to light the way. The temperature had been steadily climbing as he made his way further into the mountain. Rayman knew why: he remembered the rivers of lava that had flowed through Hoodlum Headquarters.

Rayman reached the end of the tunnel, where it simply stopped abruptly. He looked to the low ceiling of the tunnel, where a steel trapdoor led to above. He pushed it open, gripped the edge with his fingers, and hauled himself up.

He was now in a steel corridor with a steel floor and stone walls. He could hear the shouts and yells of Hoodlums in combat echoing through the corridor. Rayman allowed some energy to flow into his fists, causing them to glow with yellow light, and continued down the corridor. He rounded a corner, and the sight that met his eyes made him freeze.

There was Raylina, in battle against a group of Hoodlums. Fighting alongside her were two spiky, furred creatures, one blue, one black and red. The three of them were tearing through the Hoodmongers, and Rayman was proud to see Raylina using her Ray powers to combat the soldiers. But this was not what had frozen him.

Behind Raylina, away from the battle, was a puddle of dark liquid. As he watched, it rose into a solid blob, and then split into six pieces, which then took on the shape of Rayman's body parts. They shimmered, taking on dark colours. And so Rayman's mirror image, discoloured and changed, stood there.

Dark Rayman.

What happened next appeared to Rayman as though in slow motion. Dark Rayman began to raise his hand, palm outwards, towards Raylina, who was fighting a Hoodlum.

Rayman charged at him, reacting instinctively, feeling as though he was running underwater.

Dark Rayman's hand reached its zenith, facing Raylina, and began to gather dark energy.

Rayman picked up speed, face screwed up in desperation.

Dark Rayman's eyes shone with sadistic pleasure as the shadows began to manifest into a spike on his palm.

Rayman pushed off the ground, launching himself at the shade, and tackled him to the ground. The spike shot out of Dark Rayman's hand, glancing off the ceiling.

The two Limbless rolled backwards, struggling with each other, and fell off the edge, into the central shaft of Hoodlum Headquarters.

Chapter 17: Defense of the Fairy Council

Hoodlum Headquarters, Summit Beyond the Clouds

The noise of the shadow spike hitting the ceiling caught Raylina's attention. She span around in time to see Rayman and his shadowed doppelganger fall into the central shaft. She yelled and ran to the edge, peering over it, but she couldn't see them. "Dad!" she screamed over the side.

Shadow knelt down next to her. "He has the last Emerald," he called to Sonic. The blue Hedgehog nodded. "We've gotta help him,"

"We cannot," Shadow replied. "It is impossible for us to warp to them as they fall. Even now they do battle. If Rayman wins, he will use his Emerald to warp away. But we cannot assist him."

Rayan and Dark Rayman fell together down the centre of Hoodlum Headquarters. Rayman saw the base of the shaft coming up fast, and so gripped Dark Rayman and swung him beneath him.

Hoodlum Headquarters had originally been carved from the stone of a dormant volcano, the Summit Beyond the Clouds, the name given to it by the rather eccentric race of Teensies that populated its slopes. When the Hoodlums had first found the volcano nearly two decades ago, they had plugged the crater with a huge trapdoor, hollowed out the spaces they needed, and covered the volcanic shaft at the bottom of the hollowed-out space.

It was this covering the two Limbless were plummeting towards now. It had already been weakened badly by the Jumper hitting it earlier, and so when Rayman hit it, using Dark Rayman as a shield, they punched straight through the steel plate, between the Jumper's legs.

And so they continued to fall deep into the bowels of the planet.

Dark Rayman tore himself out of Rayman's grip, kicking him in the chest. Rayman's fists glowed with yellow energy as he punched hm back with both hands. This drove Dark Rayman away, allowing Rayman to charge a ball of energy between his hands and throw it at Dark Rayman. The shade somehow caught it in his own grey-blue hands, turning the yellow to a deep purple, and threw it back. Rayman twisted to avoid it, and it exploded against the rocky shaft wall. Huge splinters of volcanic rock blew outwards and fell after the two dueling Limbless. The shade pointed one towards Rayman, and it shot at him. Rayman punched straight through it with both fists, shattering it into tiny pieces. He tilted himself so that he fell towards Dark Rayman, and span his charged fists around his torso quickly, impacting the shade multiple times. Drops of thick, black liquid flew out of him with every impact. They pushed apart, and Dark Rayman pointed his head towards his opponent. His hair began to spin like a rotor, propelling him at Rayman. Rayman dodged with a tiny burst from his own helicopter, then dealt a double-fisted blow to the shade's back, followed by a stomp kick to the back of the head. Dark Rayman twisted around and flung a bolt of dark energy at the other Limbless, which glanced his side. Rayman winced in pain. They continued to fall, trading blows and casting energy at each other. Then Rayman drew the blue Emerald, instinct kicking in. He closed his eyes, doing what came to him. "Chaos…" He opened them, glaring at Dark Rayman. "Thunder!"

Electricity began to gather in the traces of iron and other metals surrounding the shaft, following the two opponents as they fell, jumping from trace to trace. It crackled into a ring of electrical energy around the shaft. Rayman pointed his finger at Dark Rayman, and a dozen bolts of lightning struck from the edge of the shaft straight into the shade. Black liquid blasted out of him from every angle, leaving gaping holes and craters in his body. He roared , attempting to retaliate. But he was severely weakened, and couldn't manage more than a dark blue spark. Rayman floated across to him, grabbed his hair, and shoved his dark counterpart's face into the wall of the shaft. He held it there for several seconds, watching it grind away. Then he let go and kicked what was left of the dark creature against the wall. The friction slowed his fall; to Rayman, it appeared as though he disappeared upwards.

With Dark Rayman defeated, Rayman turned his attention to escaping his predicament: hurtling down an underground, volcanic shaft at Polokus-knew-what speed. If he attempted to use helicopter at this speed, it would tear him apart. So he concentrated on the Chaos Emerald's power. His words snatched away by the air rushing past him, he said "Chaos Control!"

The Fairy Council

Lachimax, Betilla, the Grand Minimus, and Polokus stood atop a balcony overlooking the Fairy Glade. Lachimax, with his Knaaren body, towered over them all. They could see in the distance the smoke of Dark Rayman's army burning its way towards them.

Foilarak was speaking through Lachimax's communicator. "Dark Rayman just arrived in the Hoodlum camp. He is ordering them to pack up and march," There was a pause. "They're going to begin their assault,"

Lachimax nodded. "Thank you, Foilarak. Return to the Council to help prepare,"

He switched off his communicator, turning to the others. "They're coming."

The Grand Minimus nodded. "You are our best military mind, Lachimax. We shall leave the Council's defense to you. But all of our resources are yours to use,"

[i]The fairies of the Council, too, are at your disposal,[/i] Betilla said. [i]But this attack may not be so difficult to weather. Eggman will not allow this bid to go uncontested.[/i]

"Yes," Polokus spoke. "Robotnik will attack as well. The two armies shall fall upon each other. Our priority is to protect the Heart of the World. We need only repel those remnants who gain entrance to the Council.

Lachimax nodded. "I hope you're right,"

The Fairy Glade

Bucket flew the empty CODEFS warship low over the Fairy Glade, weapons systems primed. The ship flew over a tree-covered hill. Bringing the assembled Hoodlum Army into view. It was already partially weakened: the Fighting Squad had been executing a number of hit and run attacks behind enemy lines, with the help of several Teensie Doorwielders. But the Hoodlums were still strong.

Bucket directed the ship still lower, releasing a stream of bombs from its belly. They fell amongst the Black Lum infantry, blasting cloth bodies apart. The warship flew on before they could launch a counterattack, then turned around for another pass. This time, the Lums fired a barrage of energy from their large siege cannons. Bucket dodged it with ease, strafing the cannons with missiles. They exploded, scattering wood, metal and Hoodlums everywhere. Bucket dropped his last three bombs, then turned tail and sped away.

The Fairy Council

Lachimax stood overlooking the clearing between the Fairy Glade's forests and the Council itself. Tension was close to palpable in the air: the Fairy Council held its breath, waiting for the assault to come. All was silent. Lachimax stared intently at the line of trees, waiting.

Then, the tension broke. A front line of two dozen Hecklers broke through the trees, cannons firing. Behind them came row after row of Hoodmongers. Hovering above them came Hoodstormers and washing-machine clad Lavomatrixes.

"Open fire!" yelled Lachimax. Cracks sounded as Fighting Squad snipers took their shots. Magic crackled as fairies, Betilla among them, unleashed their power. Hecklers and Hoodmongers fell with bullet holes in their heads or chests, or burst into flames, or were swallowed by the earth, or were blasted off their feet by rushes of air, or became frozen where they stood, or were struck down by lightning from a cloudless sky.

Still they kept coming.

When they reached two thirds of the way across the clearing, Lachimax gave the signal, and a chain of explosives laid in the ground earlier by his demolition expert detonated, tearing a swathe straight through the Hoodlum infantry.

Still they came.

"Now would be a good time for Eggman to put in an appearance," muttered Lachimax.

Almost exactly on cue, the Egg Carrier blasted spectacularly into view directly above the Fairy Council, orange paint glinting in the sunlight, firing all its weapons. Egg Pawns flew in swarms from its hangars, hovering down to engage the Hoodlums. Energy from its cannons blasted into the Council. Lachimax leapt clear of his balcony just as a shot slammed into it, smashing it into stone splinters. He jammed his spear into a groove in the wall, saving himself from a long fall, and hauled himself up onto a ledge.

However, the Egg Carrier's barrage on the Council's structure was merely a token gesture: the vast majority of its fire fell among the Hoodlum ranks.

Lachimax climbed down to another entrance. It was time for him to join the fight.

Dark Rayman hovered above the Council, casting his power where it was needed. That's when he spotted something, seventeen years old, overgrown with moss and vines, nestled in the far side of the Council's clearing. It was Commnader Steelwill's Flagship. The Pirate battle cruiser had been left there by Rayman after his assault on the Oribital Laser 5000 and the destruction of the Robo-Pirate homeworld seventeen years ago.

Dark Rayman grinned.

Lachimax and the Fighting Squad did their job, repelling any entry to the Council proper. The Fighting Squad warship flew them to where they were needed, and they did as they were required. Elsewhere, Clark and Globox were fighting alongside the Teensies to help repel the invaders.

Bucket dropped the Squad on the west side of the Council, covering them with fire from its cannons. A group of Hoodbooms was attempting to gain entry by lobbing their makeshift grenades into weak spots. Gilly began to strafe them with his minigun, but as the bullets made contact, a white-green, translucent shield appeared around each Hoodboom, projected by the sorcerous Hoodoos among them.

"Be careful not to hit us!" Lachimax yelled to Gilly. He nodded to Christian and Blodgrey, and they charged at the Hoodlums, leaving the rest of the Squad to cover them from further attack.

Christian sliced at one Hoodoo with his Form Batons' Beam Sword, but the magician disappeared and reappeared on the other side of his Hoodboom. Lachimax threw his spear at it, forcing it to disappear once again and appear next to Bloodgrey, who swung his axe to cut the Hoodlum's cloth body cleanly in half. Christian finished off the Hoodboom, tearing a grenade from its grasp to lob at another nearby Hoodoo.

In a similar manner, the three warriors systematically obliterated the Hoodboom-Hoodoo squad. They polished off the last few just in time to hear a deep rumble as Steelwill's, now Dark Rayman's, Flagship tore itself free of the imprint it had sunk into for seventeen years. Lachimax looked upwards in horror as the Robo-Pirate craft, all jagged steel and rotting sail canvas, rose into the air and drew alongside the Egg Carrier, and opened fire.

"Damn," he cursed. "I knew we should have destroyed that thing when we had the chance."

Lachimax's communicator crackled to life. "Purple Terror to Hybrid. We've got a squad of Hoodlums and some robots inside the Council. They're heading for the Heart. Something new is leading the Egg Pawns, some powerful new robot. It looks just like…" the communicator cut out.

The warship drew up next to a gaping hole in the Fairy Council's stone walls. The CODEFS shock troops dropped from its deck, landing already in combat positions. "Attack pattern Delta!" Lachimax roared over the sounds of battle around them. "We need to stop these infiltrators before they penetrate too…look out!"

The Fighting Squad scattered as a thick, blue plasma beam slammed into the ground amongst them, leaving a crater in the earth. Lachimax rolled, crouched, spear ready, and looked up to see a huge, four-legged, spiderlike vehicle climb from the Council's rooftop onto the grassy lawn. It was painted orange, red, black and yellow, Eggman's signature colours, and Eggman's laugh could be heard clear as day through the machine's loudspeaker. The body was a sphere, hanging nearly a dozen metres from the ground, with two sets of weapons slung underneath it. The four two-jointed legs were placed evenly around the spherical body, dwarfing it and bending upwards, well above the sphere, before the first joints sent them back to the ground, where they ended in long spikes. (It looks kind of like a cross between a Beady Long Legs from Pikmin and a Strider from Half-Life 2.)

The machine, Eggman inside, fired a volley of white pulse rounds at the warship. Several of the shots found their mark, and the ship's left engine gave a bang began to exgorge black smoke. Bucket was forced to pull away. "I can't stay, sir. I'm sorry. He said to Lachimax through his communicator, as the warship flew away.

Lachimax didn't waste time with words. His Squad took cover, and he prepared to launch an attack on Robotnik's machine.

However, it seemed that Eggman had lost interest in them. The great vehicle stalked away at a surprising speed, each footstep creating a loud thud, to wreak further havoc among the Hoodlums.

So the Fighting Squad turned its attention towards the gaping hole in the side of the Council.

Chapter 18: The Three Raymans

The Fairy Council

The Squad rushed through the labyrinthine Council, towards the Heart of the World, following the trail of destruction left by the Egg Pawn and Hoodlum forces. [i]Hurry, Lachimax![/i] Betilla's voice rang out in his mind. [i]We can't hold them off much longer![/i]

They reached a stone, sliding door which had clearly been in the marauders' path. Gilly took point, rotating the barrels of his mingun to full speed. Lachimax and Christian took position at either side of the door, and at Gilly's signal, Lachimax kicked it open.

Inside was a very large chamber, decorated in the familiar subdued blue stone, pink glasses and ghostly glowing mushrooms of the Council. In the centre of the chamber a squad of Hoodlums was battling its way forward, diving in and out of cover, taking potshots at the enemy. They were under fire from fairies of the Council, casting silver and golden beams of light at the Hoodlums from the other end of the chamber. The Hoodmongers were gradually making their way forward, protecting the red-clothed Hoodbooms amongst them, who were lobbing grenades at the fairies. A large, chain-mail clad Spineroo was also among them, clubbing any resistance out of the way with the big, metal balls on its fists.

Lachimax gave the order to open fire, and Gilly did so. But before a single Hoodlum had fallen to his gun's fire, a concussion rocked the chamber. Something metal punched through its ceiling, landing before the Hoodlum soldiers. They stopped in surprise, rifles trained on it, whatever it was. The robot rose to its feet, hands raised before it.

"What the hell..." Bloodgrey said.

The Hoodlums opened fire on Eggman's new robot, but it was too quick, leaping into the air and setting them on fire with flames from its metal, floating hands. With limbless grace it flowed among them, annihilating them both by hand and with its onboard weapons. A Hoodboom attempted to throw a grenade at it, only for the metal warrior to dodge sideways and the bomb to blast two other Hoodlums. The Hoodboom tried again, but this time the robot caught the grenade and threw it back.

Soon, only the Spineroo was left. It tried with clumsy force to crush the robot, but it slid feet-first underneath the Hoodlum's spinning arms, taking its legs out and causing it to land flat on its face in a gloriously flailing, clumsy fashion. The robot jumped onto its back, grabbed the skirts of the Spineroo's chain mail, and with an awful, ear-rending screech, tore a large strip straight out of the steel rings, from head to toe.

The robot somersaulted off its back, and the Hoodlum climbed to its feet, armour now hanging off its shoulders. A large gun unfolded from the 'O' in the automaton's torso, barrel glowing red with energy as it charged. The Spineroo tried to run, but a large propulsion of energy erupted from the robot's gun and slammed into the Hoodlum's now bare back, blasting it apart.

CODEFS and the fairies attacked the limbless machine. Rotor blades unfolded from its head, spinning and carrying it upwards. It rose into the air, hands spread, and fired a last barrage at the Fairy Council's forces before flying back through its own hole.

"What the hell was that?" Gilly yelled.

"I don't know, but whatever it was, it was strong." Lachimax gazed after it.

"It looked just like Rayman!" said Christian.

"Yes. But it's a robot, and it's on Eggman's side."

The limbless robot made its way further into the Council, towards the Heart of the World, silver skin glinting in the shroom-light. An orange 'O' glowed on its torso, and its eyes shone poison green. Its feet and hands floated free of its body, held in place by a complex magnetic field.

Metal Rayman.

The machine ran stealthily through the Council, taking in everything through the green-tinted sharpness of his digital eyes, powered by the red gem within his body.

Metal Rayman saw a sudden flash of blue light from around the corner. Detecting it as a potential threat, he reacted instantly, rolling into the hallway with his fists raised. Standing in the hallway was a person. Metal Rayman analysed his image, comparing it to detailed files in his database, and found a matching file.

Subject Name: Rayman

Species: Ray (Limbless Variant)

Known Abilities: Standard Silver Lum-induced Ray powers

Affiliation: Fairy Council

Status: Powerful and potentially dangerous

Metal Rayman also scanned emanations of energy from Rayman's body, and concluded he was in possession of the blue Chaos Emerald.

ACTIVATE SECONDARY MISSION: OBTAIN EMERALD.

The robot attacked his living namesake.

Battle was raging above, around, and within the Fairy Council. In the skies, Eggman's Egg Carrier and Dark Rayman's ex-Pirate Flagship manoeuvred around each other, trading fire. On the ground, a grand melee royale was taking place between Eggman's robots and Dark Rayman's Hoodlums. And inside the Council, the fairies and their allies battled to maintain control of the place.

Within the Flagship, Dark Rayman sensed a disturbance in the Force (just kidding). He felt the presence of two Chaos Emeralds below him, within the Council, but held by two separate, and, if his guess was correct, battling, entities.

[i]Perfect,[/i] he thought in his opportunistic mind. He could easily take advantage of this situation.

So he left the Flagship on autopilot (quite a sophisticated autopilot, to, as it was built by Robo-Pirates, experts in artificial intelligence) and left for the fight below.

[i]This is the day from hell,[/i} thought Rayman as Metal Rayman leapt at him.

First, he had been kidnapped by a psychopathic egomaniacal scientist. Second, he had been captured and forced to destroy yet another outbreak of two deadly biologically engineered species. And then, he had fallen down a volcanic shaft while doing battle with his dark copy. And now, [i]now,[/i] a robot that had been built to look like him was assaulting him.

Rayman rolled out of the robot's path, and Metal Rayman skidded to a halt on the stone floor. The machine turned its head towards Rayman, and for a moment they glared at each other. Then Metal Rayman swivelled to face his blueprint directly and held his hands up, firing white pulses from the steel palms. Rayman leapt into the air, somersaulting over the robot's head, landing behind it and tossing an energy ball at its back. But it was quick, spinning to swipe the ball aside with its hand. Metal Rayman then punched Rayman across the nose, knocking him, sprawling, to the ground. Metal Rayman curved his hand into a fist, and an orange blade of energy sprang from it. He raised it above his head to strike at the true Rayman, who rolled out of the way just as the blade came down, springing to his feet. Metal Rayman swung at him horizontally, narrowly missing his stomach. With the same motion, he swivelled and kicked his organic counterpart in the chest. He continued to strike at Rayman with his fists and feet, driving him back into a corner. Then he drew back his hand, balled it into a metal fist, and drove it straight at Rayman's chest.

But Rayman caught the fist with both hands, holding it between them. They began to glow with yellow energy. Rayman looked his robotic doppelganger in the eye. Then he turned to face the corner and threw Metal Rayman over his shoulder headlong into it. The robot smashed against the wall with a deafening clang, sliding to the ground, where Rayman twice curb-stomped his head. But Metal Rayman stood on his hands, twirling to kick Rayman thrice in the face, then swiping his feet out from under him with his hand and flipping onto his own feet. Rayman fell to the ground, and Metal Rayman gripped him by the nose and swung him against the wall. Rayman fell to the ground, but used his hands to launch himself feet-first against the automaton's torso, knocking him backwards. Rayman's momentum carried him forwards into a roll, and onto his feet. He turned to face Metal Rayman...

BOOM!

Something black crashed through the ceiling, knocking both of the opponents to the ground. Rayman scrambled back to his feet to see the black blob form into Dark Rayman, smiling in contempt.

"You again?! What does it take to kill you?"

Metal Rayman scanned the newcomer, bringing up another file.

Subject Name: Dark Rayman

Species: N/A (Limbless Shade)

Known Abilities: Manipulation of dark energy, control of shadow-associated creatures, Chaos powers

Affiliation: Veurtoya

Status: Dangerous, especially with Chaos Emerald. Do NOT allow to obtain an Emerald at any cost.

The three Raymans, Dark, Metal, and true, circled each other, each eyeing the other two warily, searching for an opening.

It was Dark Rayman who moved first, coming at the robot with a sword of shadows in his hand. Metal Rayman blocked it with his own energy blade, slicing back at the shade's body. The two duelled with their blades for a few moments, giving Rayman an opportunity to try and sneak away. But Dark Rayman pulled him back with a surge of invisible force. Rayman narrowly avoided being impaled by the dark blade, sliding underneath it to kick Dark Rayman's feet out from under him. As the two wrestled on the ground, Metal Rayman flew up and out through the hole Dark Rayman had so obligingly created. Dark Rayman wrested himself free and followed him. Rayman also jumped and climbed out of the hole, onto the rooftops of the Fairy Council.

The other two Raymans were already engaged in a midair battle, Metal Rayman flying with the use of air-jets in his hands and feet and the propeller on his head.

"Why am I the only one who can't fly?" Rayman muttered as he charged a yellow ball of energy between his palms, electricity crackling through it as it reached its full size. He released it, and it flew through the air straighter than an arrow, taking Metal Rayman in the foot. He flew out of control, crashing into the stone roof of the Council. Dark Rayman followed, smashing straight into him. Rayman ran and tackled the shade off of the robot, pinning him to the ground. Metal Rayman did the same to him, standing over the living version of himself. He lifted his foot, and rows of metal spikes popped out of its sole, creating a very dangerous stomping tool. Rayman rolled out of the way just as it came down where his head was, then again as Metal Rayman took a kick at his body. Dark Rayman pushed the machine away with a ball of purple energy. Metal Rayman hovered away, facing them, and began to fire pulse rounds at them rapidly. Rayman and Dark Rayman both ran at him, dodging and weaving, wasting their own projectiles at him, dodging and weaving, casting their own projectiles at him. When he was close enough, Rayman leapt high into the air and grabbed Metal Rayman's foot, trying to weigh him down, but Eggman's mechanical terror shook him off, launching him dozens of metres.

Dark Rayman and Metal Rayman hovered, facing each other. The robot opened its mouth, and Doctor Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik's voice came out. "You have lost, shade," he said, addressing Dark Rayman. "Your army is all but diminished. My machines are even now rounding up the last of your pathetic forces. Your fossil relic of a ship is falling apart at the seams. Soon I will have taken the Fairy Council, and with it the Heart of the World. I shall retrieve the rest of the Chaos Emeralds then, and bind your master to me with them. Finally, the Eggman Empire will come to be, built with a God's power! I shall rule two worlds, and then more, and eventually the entire galaxy!"

Eggman's reverie was broken by a deep, harsh laugh. Dark Rayman was laughing in the Doctor's proverbial face.

"I would not be so sure, scientist," he spat the word scientist as though it was a curse. "My master cannot be tamed. Make the attempt, and you will be destroyed in every possible way, even in some ways which are essentially impossible. And you are wrong about another thing. This battle is far from over."

Dark Rayman raised his hands into the air, and a pulse swept across the battlefield. Eldrid creatures began to stir: large, black, hissing, furry creatures crawled in from the woods of the Fairy Glade. Spiders crawled from their dark holes in the ground. Huge Thorn Roots burst from the earth, writhing and swinging at the robots. The dark creatures swept through the battlefield, driving Eggman's robots back.

"Damn!" Eggman cursed through Metal Rayman's mouth, and then relinquished control of the mech. Metal Rayman attacked at once, assaulting Dark Rayman with everything in his arsenal, but the shade, telekinetically connected to Steelwill's flagship, launched a laser strike from the ship. The Limbless robot was forced to flee, chased by a laser beam.

Dark Rayman laughed, laughed so hard that it could be heard across the Fairy Council.

Chapter 19: Super

Sonic, Shadow and Raylina appeared on the Fairy Council's lawn just as the Hoodlums began their resurgence with the aid of the dark creatures. The bulk of Eggman's forces were retreating into a giant wedge, his spider contraption in the centre. Of course, Eggman spotted his arch nemesis instantly. "Sonic!" his voice rang out across the lawn. "Get him!"

His assembled Egg Pawns turned towards them.

"Raylina, stay here," Sonic said. "We Hedgehogs'll handle this little mess here."

Eggman's vehicle fired a large, blue beam at them. All three of them leapt out of the way, and Sonic and Shadow hit the ground running. They accelerated, running straight at the droids as one. As they ran, Shadow skating across the ground, the two of them looked at each other, and nodded.

Then they reached the robots, and there was carnage.

The machines smashed into little bits as the Hedgehogs swept through them, both curled and uncurled, towards Eggman. They fell like trees in a violent storm, like houses before a tsunami. Shadow and Sonic were like black and blue blurs, too fast for the bots to do anything against, running and dodging and rolling and jumping with reactions no other living creature could match. With skill born from so many battles against the Doctor's troops, they broke a path through his army, leaving a trail of sparking wreckage in their wake. Like a knife through butter, they cut into the centre of the troops, straight to Eggman's macjine.

"Give it up, Eggman!" Sonic called, as he skidded to a halt. "You're finished! Give us the last Emerald, and we'll be on our way!"

Eggman chuckled. "Oh, Sonic, always ruining my fun. Not this time, though! Prepare to feel the wrath of my latest and greatest invention, the Egg Spider!"

The massive machine lifted a leg and brought it down with the intention of impaling Sonic, but of course he was too fast. Eggman fired a volley of pulse shots at the two Hedgehogs, then a plasma beam, sweeping the ground in front of them. Sonic jumped onto one of the legs as the tip pulled out of the ground, swinging onto the lowest joint, then shimmying up to the next one. He began to grind down the last length of leg towards the body, but the leg thudded back into the ground, knocking Sonic off.

Shadow jumped onto another leg, standing on a set of bars near the tip. He waited until the leg lifted him so that he was even with the spherical body, then jumped, leaping straight and true. But the Egg Spider shifted at the last moment. Shadow missed, falling to the ground, where he span into a ball and rolled quickly away as Eggman chased him with rapid firing from the twin pulse cannons.

The Hedgehogs, try as they might, could not get onto the Egg Spider's main body to find and exploit a weakness. They were too quick for the Spider to hit, though, so it was stalemate.

But then, with a roar, the Fighting Squad warship flew overhead, bombs raining from its bomb bay. They flew straight over the Egg Spider, and a figure leapt from the deck of the warship and fell straight for the infernal machine.

The air rushed past Rayman's face as he fell. As late as he could, he span his hair into a helicopter, floating gently towards the vehicle's main body. Eggman tried to shoot him down, but he was too close already. Rayman grabbed the barrel of the Egg Spider's plasma cannon, pulling himself onto it. He was looking directly into the cockpit, into Eggman's eyes. He crawled along the cannon, jumped onto the body and found a small ledge to grip onto just below the windshield. He swung himself up so that he was standing in front of the cockpit, clinging to the glass. His fist glowing, he brought it down on the hardened glass, once, twice. On the third time, cracks spider-webbed from his fist's impact. He hit it once more, and the glass smashed inwards. Eggman held a pistol pointed at his face. Rayman ducked out of sight just as he pulled the trigger. He climbed around the body, staying below the cockpit, to one of the legs. From the pack on his back he produced an explosive charge, given to him by CODEFS. He placed it on the point where the leg met the body, and it stuck there magnetically and began to beep. Rayman leapt clear, helicoptering to the ground. He landed and ran, diving to the ground just as the charge blew.

The entire Fairy Council watched in awe as the leg blew spectacularly free of its body, and the Egg Spider collapsed to the ground with a resounding crash.

Shadow walked up to the destroyed vehicle, pistol in hand. He jumped onto the cockpit to find Eggman cowering within. Placing the end of the gun squarely in the centre of his forehead, he said calmly, "The Emerald, if you please, Doctor."

Shaking, Eggman handed Shadow the red Chaos Emerald. Shadow grinned, exposing his pointed teeth, and climbed down, tossing the gem to Sonic. He turned around to see Eggman standing, a remote control in his hand.

"Goodbye, old friend!" he yelled to Sonic. "Time for you to burn with the rest of your pitiful friends!" He pressed the button on the remote, and disappeared, teleported away.

"He's going to fire the Eclipse Cannon!" said Sonic in shock. "He's going to destroy the Council!"

The last few remaining Egg Pawns were currently being chased away by the Hoodlums and dark creatures, who were themselves leaving for another place. Raylina had just come over from where the Hedgehogs had left her. "Dad!" she cried, and hugged Rayman. "I'm glad you're okay!"

Rayman smiled. "So am I, Ray-girl," he said, using her pet name.

"We have to evacuate the Council!" she said worriedly, pulling away. Rayman shook his head, smiling. "Don't worry, Ray-girl. I know what to do."

Seven is a number of great power. Said to be the number of the Gods in religions hundreds of worlds over, and a lucky number in most cultures. Seven is the number of colours in the rainbow, the atomic number of nitrogen, which is the most common element in most breathable atmospheres. Seven is the sum of any two opposite sides on a standard six-sided die.

Seven is the number of Chaos Emeralds.

And a powerful number it is.

Rayman produced the blue Emerald, allowing it to float in the air in front of him. The other Emeralds floated from Sonic, Shadow and Raylina, glowing brightly. They began to orbit around Rayman's torso, spinning faster and faster: blue, white, green, red, yellow, cyan, purple. They span around Rayman, gathering speed, and then there was a sudden flash of gold-white light. It dissipated to reveal Rayman hovering above the ground, emitting a brilliant light. His purple shirt had turned golden, and the 'O' and his fists were shining like a sun. Golden sparks fell from his body like snow. Enormous energy filled him, flooding his very being. He could feel the power of all seven Emeralds flowing through him.

Super Rayman.

He ascended into the air, and flew upwards.

Towards the Space Colony Ark.

Eclipse Cannon Control Room, Space Colony Ark

Eggman rushed into the Control Room, beginning to throw switches and press buttons and throw switches. The column in the centre of the huge room began to hum.

Mr. Dark stormed into the control room, cloak billowing behind him as he stalked across the walkway. "Robotnik! What the hell are you doing?"

Without turning from the control console, Eggman clicked his fingers, and a containment field sprung up around the black-clad Limbless. Four bolts of electricity struck at Dark's chest from the corners of the field from the ground. He yelled, hands spread-eagled. The Four Masks appeared, floating away from his body. They hovered over the walkway to Eggman, where he began inserting them in the power slots.

"No!" Dark yelled.

Eggman put the last Mask in its slot, and pushed the fire button.

Super Rayman flew through the vacuum of space, the pale hemisphere of the Ark growing in his field of vision.

The beak-like protrusion of the Eclipse Cannon on the bottom of the Ark folded open, ghostly green energy playing between the four prongs. The prongs opened completely, and a fully-powered beam fired from the centre of them. The beam shot through space, straight towards the besieged Fairy Council.

Super Rayman grinned and spread his hands, a nimbus of golden light appearing around him, as the Eclipse beam struck him instead of its intended target.

A weapon with the sheer destructive power to destroy a star hit him directly.

And had no effect.

The beam dissipated around him, and he kept on flying. As he drew nearer to the Colony, Eggman fired its defences at the Super, bolts of red energy shooting around him. He dodged with little effort, spinning and twisting with reflexes like the speed of light. He flew straight at the Ark, smashing a hole through the outer hull of the colossal space station. He shot up through a blue-walled shaft, large blast doors sliding shut in front of him, Eggman's further attempts at slowing him. He smashed through them, one after the other, revelling at the sheer force of the gems within him. Super Rayman reached a small door in the side of the shaft He sensed two people inside. With a final crash, he broke through the door, into the long room beyond.

To see Ly, his partner and the love of his life, with a gun to her head.

A gun wielded by Doctor Eggman.

"Now, we have ourselves something of a stalemate, have we not, my Limbless friend?" He gestured grandly with his free hand, clearly ecstatic at having someone of such energy within his power. A tear slid down Ly's cheek, past her green lips, as she smiled weakly. A pang tore at Rayman's heart. Eggman drew the slide back on the pistol. "Now, release the Emeralds, and we can all walk away happily."

Ly and Rayman looked into each others' eyes. They knew each other, understood each other perfectly: seventeen years of intimate telepathic linkage had made sure of that. Ly knew how much Rayman loved her, how he could never live without her, that he would do whatever he had too to keep her alive. Ly knew that she could never convince him to leave her to Eggman's mercy. She could only watch in sadness as Rayman landed lightly on the metal floor, and let the Emeralds go.

Power drained out of Rayman water from a pipe. His colour returned to normal, and the gems fell in a circle around him, landing with a resounding clang.

Replacing the power came despair. Now they were at Eggman's mercy, for him to do what he wanted. And not even the Gods could guess at his plans.

"Now, bring them here."

Rayman picked up two of the Emeralds and walked towards Eggman. As he walked, though, he saw a flicker of movement behind the Doctor. Something was hiding, sticking to the wall and blending into the blue metal. As he watched, a purple, lizard-like creature materialised, clinging to the wall with the pads on his fingertips.

The chameleon looked at Rayman, and winked.

Hiding his surprise, Rayman winked back.

The lizard-Mobian produced a metal shuriken, took aim carefully, and threw it.

The serrated disk took Eggman in the hand, throwing a small spray of blood from it. The gun dropped, and the Mobian's tongue flicked out, quick as lightning, to pluck it from the air. Eggman howled in pain, clutching his injured hand. Rayman charged the fat Doctor, tackling him and pinning him to the ground. He drew back his fist and punched Eggman in the face with as much force as he could muster. There was a sickening crunch as his nose broke, and Robotnik's howling took on a renewed vigour.

Rayman stood, brushing the blood from his shirt, and embraced Ly passionately.

The two stood in each others' embrace for over a minute, wordlessly communicating their relief and joy at being reunited. Then there was a small cough behind Rayman. He let Ly go, and turned to find no less than eight Mobians standing there.

[img]./sonic/images/c/c0/Shadowth_[/img]

The purple-skinned Espio the Chameleon, curved horn protruding from his nose, who had just saved Ly's life.

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The dual-tailed Miles "Tails" Prower, whose mechanical knowledge and skill matched Eggman's.

[img]./sonic/images/e/e0/Knuckles_[/img]

The aptly named Knuckles the Echidna, last of his tribe, whose fists were crowned with two spikes on each hand.

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Rouge the Bat, Shadow's companion and master treasure hunter.

[img]./sonic/images/4/4f/Chronicles_[/img]

E-123 Omega, a sentient robot constructed by Eggman, and Shadow's other friend.

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Charmy Bee, the enthusiastic detective and second member of Team Chaotix, alongside Espio.

[img]./sonic/images/e/eb/Vector_[/img]

Vector the Crocodile, the muscles of Team Chaotix and strongest guy around.

[img]./sonic/images/b/bd/Amy_[/img]

And, finally, Amy Rose, Sonic's self-proclaimed girlfriend.

There was a sudden burst of blue light, and Sonic, Shadow, and Raylina appeared. There was a squeal, a flash of pink, and Sonic was practically tackled by Amy.

Raylina ran across to Rayman and Ly, threw herself around the both of them. "You'll never believe what's been happening, mum."

Ly smiled. [i]I know, sweetheart. We're so proud of you.[/i]

Rouge, Shadow and Omega walked over to them from where they were standing. "Hello, Raylina," said Rouge with a smile. "I'm Rouge, and this is Omega," she gestured at the large, black, red, yellow and silver robot. "We're Shadow's friends."

Raylina gave Rouge an once-over, enviously eyeing her perfect legs, hips and breasts. Now, Raylina wasn't too small in the chest department herself, but if this was her competition, she was going to have to step up her game. She shook Rouge's hand, then reached up and undid an extra button on her shirt, revealing just that little bit of cleavage.

"How did you guys get here?" asked Sonic, Tails and Knuckles taking their places beside him.

"Eggman has a teleporter rigged up between here and Mobius," Tails said. "That's how he got the Space Colony Ark here."

"GUN has been running around like a headless chicken trying to figure out where it went," Knuckles added.

"Where is Eggman?" asked Sonic.

"Over here!" called Vector, who was holding the scientist still. "What do we do with him?"

"Keep him, for now," said Shadow. "We'll decide what to do with him later. But right now we have to find out what he was using to power the Cannon."

Super Rayman/Super Sonic - Live & Learn by Crush 40 .com/watch?v=u9zZus_1_ag

One of the best Sonic songs ever, written and performed by Crush 40, of course. It was both the main theme and Super Sonic/Super Shadow's theme in Sonic Adventure 2.

Chapter 20: Blood Dark

Rayman ran to the Cannon Control room, the Mobians, Ly and Rayman behind him. He reached the huge room quickly, skidding to a halt on the walkway. In the middle of the walkway, midway between the door and the control panel in the centre, stood a figure in a black cloak, his back to them.

"Dark?" Rayman called. He turned. "What are you doing here?" Rayman's eyes narrowed. "Were you working...with Eggman?"

The other Ray bowed his head. "Do not judge me, Rayman. I work only towards the greater good."

Rayman's eyes widened. "How...how did you power the Cannon?"

Mr. Dark raised his hand, palm up, and the Four Masks of Polokus appeared floating above it. "Remarkable objects, these Masks. Just as powerful as the Chaos Emeralds, and they just happen to fit perfectly in the slots designed for the Emeralds. But of course this is not mere chance,"

Rayman's eyes widened further. "But, why? Why are you helping Eggman?"

"Mutual benefit. You must understand, Rayman, I did what I did only for this world, for our species. For years our race has deteriorated in the Fairy Council's shadow, but a shade of what it once was!" His eyes glowed from beneath his hat, the rest of his face in shadow. "Rayman, I can rejuvenate our people. I have found a way to resurrect the Rays!"

Rayman's mind was running at a thousand miles an hour. "How?"

"When the Ancients laid themselves to rest at the centre of this world, they took with them many of their chosen protectors: the Rays. Thousands, perhaps millions of our kind lay buried in a separate crypt deep within the earth, frozen in stasis. And there is a way to free them. For years, I have been studying the structure of the so-called Tomb of the Ancients. The whole valley the buildings lie in is a massive receptor, a device with which to raise the crypt of the Rays, devised by the Ancients themselves. But it needs huge, [i]huge[/i] amounts of energy to activate..."

"Which is why you need the Ark. The Eclipse Cannon," Rayman realised. Dark nodded. "But just the Masks is not enough. I need the Emeralds as well."

A huge realisation hit Rayman. "You... you've been planning this from the start! You sent Dark Rayman to Mobius to get the Emeralds, didn't you? You brought Eggman here. You made Dark Rayman create the Hoodlums..." But Dark shook his head. "No. Dark Rayman has never been completely under my control. He was created by his master, never by me. I merely used him all those years ago to try and stop you, and while it is true that I resurrected him to retrieve the Emeralds, I did not anticipate how powerful and independent he could become. The one he serves is a powerful master."

And who does he serve?"

Dark hesitated. "A rogue God. Veurtoya, the Black Spirit,"

"What?"

Veurtoya is one of many rogue Gods, created not through the Ancients' intentions by the normal Lums, but by the free will of the Black Lums. The Leptys and Solaris are two other such Gods. But the Leptys is relatively benign, or at least intends no direct harm. Solaris wished only to consume and destroy and consume. But when Veurtoya was formed by the Dark Lums' energy, they infused him with both their intelligence and their desire to dominate. His dearest wish is to rule the universe, a feat even the Ancients did not wish to achieve.

"There has been a hierarchy ever since the dawn of creation. The Ancients created the Lums. The Lums made the Gods. The Gods crafted life. The Gods have always had to abide by strict laws set by the Ancients. One of these is to not interfere with another God's work. The rogue Gods circumvent these laws through the very nature of their birth. They may attack normal Gods without fear of retaliation, for they are unable to disobey the Ancients' laws. So if Dark Rayman releases Veurtoya from his prison with the Emeralds, as has been his goal all along, he will take this planet for himself."

"And you never factored that into your grand scheme. So how are we supposed to stop Veurtoya?"

Mr. Dark shrugged. "Once the Rays have returned, we will be able to crush such issues with ease."

Shadow called from behind Rayman. "And how do you plan to do that without obliterating this planet? The Four Masks together are the equivalent of the seven Emeralds together. I can see that, clear as day, from here. With all eleven of them powering the Eclipse Cannon together, it will have enough sheer force to crumble several stars at once,"

"The Tomb of the Ancients will absorb most of the energy,"

"But what of that which remains? Surely even the smallest fraction of such a power would be enough to devastate hundreds of square miles at the very least."

Dark's eyes narrowed. "It is possible. But that is surely a small price to pay next to the return of our people, Rayman! We are amongst the last of the Rays, and you, Raylina and I are three of the four fairy-empowered Rays left. Would you not like to see our kind return to rule this world as they once did? This is our only hope for such an outcome."

A silent struggle raged within Rayman. "But... hundreds of people will die."

"To be replaced by the noblest species in the universe!"

Rayman's internal struggle drew to a close, replaced by grim resolution.

"No."

"What?"

"No. I cannot allow this to happen."

"It is your duty as the Chosen One to protect and nurture your species!"

"It is my duty to protect all of the creatures of this world. Not to selfishly put my race's interests ahead of those of this planet," Rayman brought his glowing hands up into a combat-ready stance. "Now give me the Masks."

Dark bowed his head. "So be it," he muttered. Then he addressed all of them. "Rayman, you have grown sentimental and foolish in your increasing age. You have become too attached to other species, too narrow minded to see the bigger picture. No longer are you fit to choose what is best for this world. Rayman, I challenge your right as Chosen One. It is time for a new order," The Four Masks began to revolve slowly around his body.

"Now stand down, or be destroyed."

Rayman shook his head, the Chaos Emeralds appearing in a circle around him. "It is you who have become foolish, Dark."

Mr. Dark used the Masks as Rayman had the Emeralds, drawing and focusing on their energy, letting them become him. They picked up speed, orbiting around his body. Then they disappeared in a flash of blood-red light, and Mr. Dark was transformed.

His cloak, billowing in a non-existent wind, had turned a dark red, as had his hat. His hands glowed with a pale, crimson light, yet his face remained in shadow.

Mr. Dark's super form.

Blood Dark.

Rayman absorbed the Emeralds, becoming Super Rayman. The tow of them rose into the air together, the gold and the red, the light and the shadow, who had once been mortal enemies, had fought alongside each other, had nearly become friends. Two true Limbless Rays, the sorcerer and the hero, pitted against each other in a mortal battle for the power of the Gods.

The two Rays flew at each other, creating a large explosion as they met. Dark gripped Rayman and through with enormous force. The last few Mobians got out of the way just as he crashed straight through the walkway, thudding into the wall beneath. He hovered forwards again, a large ball of crackling, golden light in his hands. He threw it at Blood Dark, but the sorcerer dodged, countering with a bolt of shadow energy. Dark sped at Rayman, hitting him and carrying them both straight through the wall. The two wrestled in the air, crashing through walls of steel as though they were no more than paper. Through service corridors and recreation areas, through power plants and weapons stations they battled, tearing the Colony apart from the inside. They were evenly matched: Dark's form was augmented by his sorcerer's powers, but Rayman was a Hero of the Ancients, powered by the Gods' will.

The two of them crashed into some sort of huge water tank, turned rancid from years of abandonment. They hovered above the green-coated liquid, throwing power at each other. Dark sped at Rayman, but instead of tackling him again, danced around him and beat at him with hands crackling with red electricity. Rayman blocked a punch with his palm, spinning to punch Dark in the gut. Dark kicked Rayman away, crossed his hands across his chest, and exploded into crimson flames, a blood-red blade of fire in his hand. Again he rushed at Rayman, but he slipped under the sword and grabbed Blood Dark's cloak. With immense strength, he threw the sorcerer straight down into the unclean water. Steam burst from the pool in massive clouds, evaporated instantly by the heat of Dark's flames. Rayman shot down after him, through the boiling water, and Dark surged towards him through it. The water raged turbulently around them as Dark used the steam, casting clouds of it at Rayman. He swept the vapour away, waves of water surging around them, and flew at the dark Limbless, grabbing him by the torso. In each others' grip, they shot straight through several more walls, punched through a blast door, and into open space.

Their momentum carried them to just below the massive pyramid of the Eclipse Cannon, casting their energies against each other as they flew. Outside the station, Rayman could appreciate just how truly colossal the Ark was. It was like a half-moon, one made from millions of tonnes of steel, titanium and stone. And it had been made not by Gods, not by nature, but by humans, an achievement which surely outweighed any other mortal victory.

The two Rays face off in the Shadow of the Space Colony, floating dozens of metres apart. Like two miniature suns themselves, they lit up the flat bottom of the Ark with their red and gold light.

Dark spoke into Rayman's mind, yellow eyes piercing the shadows cast by his hat. [i]Rayman, you must see! It is not too late to free our people! We could live in a mighty, free nation, in the company of our own race! We could rule them together, you and I, lords of a great empire![/i]

Rayman shook his head. [i]No. It is not my place to rule, nor yours. And you have seen how the Rays are able to interbreed with other species. My daughter is a tribute to that. That is our salvation, not the destruction of hundreds of lives!

You would taint our noble blood, have the Rays become mutant freaks?

Not taint, improve! She still retains all of the characteristics of a Ray, as well as the sensitivity of a fairy! That is our species great gift. We can keep what makes us Ray and still assimilate the best parts of other races. And your refusal to do so is part of what caused us to decline in the first place. A refusal of anything new!

You are mistaken.

No, Dark. It is you who are mistaken. About a great many things.[/i]

And so they attacked.

With raw energy, the two Rays flew at each other. Quicker than any living eye could follow, they fought, the sheer fury of their battle casting energy far and wide. With unsolicited power they struck and slashed and threw. Both burned with intense flames, red and gold, as they struggled for dominance.

Dark slashed at Rayman with a blade of red light, and Rayman blocked with a golden sword of his own. They duelled with speed and strength unmatched by any other living being, floating in that vacuum. And then, timed to perfection, both released their swords and unleashed vortexes of power from between their hands. Dark's red met Rayman's gold between them, raging with might. They stood in stalemate, their energies burning against each other. But then a surge of power burst through Rayman. His golden light pushed Dark's red back to him, inch by inch, conquering the shadow power. The gold reached Dark, and burned through him, pulsing through every extremity of his body. With a sudden thrill of fear, Dark knew he had lost.

And he saw the error of his ways.

Rayman cut his stream of golden energy off, then reached deep inside himself. Doing what he had done beneath the Summit Beyond the Clouds, he yelled with his mind: [i]Chaos...Thunder![/i]

Huge amounts of electrical energy began to build up, using the entire megastructure of the Space Colony Ark as a conductor. Electricity crackled in huge waves across its metal body, preparing for Rayman's will.

Super Rayman pointed at the blood-red for of Dark, and an enormous bolt of lightning struck from the Colony, drawing on vast reserves of static electricity. It drove straight into Blood Dark's flying body, blasting him with raw energy.

The red drained from Dark's clothes. His body lost its light. With a final sigh, he fell, as though in slow motion, towards the planet below.

With the very last of his strength, he broadcast a final piece of advice to Rayman's mind: [i]To defeat Veurtoya, you must summon... the Heroes.[/i]

Then he was gone.

Rayman floated back into the Ark, sealing the holes he had blasted through it as he went. He landed on the walkway in the Cannon control room, releasing the Emeralds. He let out a sad sigh, and walked across to Ly.

She saw the regret in his eyes. "You did what you had to do," she spoke aloud. Rayman nodded. "He had to be stopped. But he was not evil. He did only what he thought he had to. And he felt remorse towards the end. I saw it in him."

Rayman produced the Four Masks, which had been transferred to his body when he defeated Dark. He handed Sonic the Air Mask, Shadow the Fire Mask, Raylina the Water Mask, and kept the Earth Mask for himself.

The defeated Mr. Dark fell through space, the last of his magic instinctively keeping him barely alive in the vacuum, gravity pulling him slowly towards the Crossroads of Dreams. His home.

Dark had found peace within himself. No longer did he yearn for power. No longer did he wish to rule an empire of his own people. He understood now the wrong he had wrought on his planet. And he regretted it. But there was no changing that now. Now was a time for peaceful contemplation as his life ebbed away.

As he began to lose consciousness, he felt metal hands grasp his body. Through the shadows that clouded his eyes, he saw a face, like Rayman's, but made from metal.

[i]Hallucination,[/i] he thought happily. [i]Death greets me with open arms now.[/i]

Blood Dark vs. Super Rayman – With Me ~Massive Power Mix~ By Crush 40 .com/watch?v=uKMN8Qybd74

This is a cover of With Me by Crush 40, the original of which was the theme of the final battle in Sonic and the Black Knight. I thought this suited the Super battle rather well.

Chapter 21: Heroes

Space Colony Ark

"Explain to me again, Tails," Sonic said as the group of Mobians and Crossroads-dwellers walked through the Ark. "How did you get here?"

"Well, the same way Eggman did. He was using a teleportation channel between here and Mobius, with one heck of a matter-acceleration yield, big enough to move the entire Ark from light years away. He used the Master Emerald to power it,"

"Wait! The Master Emerald is here?"

Knuckles nodded. "The bastard took it from me again. It's on the Ark, presumedly. We need to find it soon... hang on, where is Eggman?"

Everyone span to look at Vector the Crocodile, who looked almost surprised to find he was no longer holding the Doctor. "Um... I don't know!"

"Ah, crap," said Shadow. "He must have escaped while we were watching the fireworks. Damn it! He always gets away."

What is the Master Emerald?" asked Rayman.

Knuckles explained. "The Master Emerald is a powerful gem, protected by my people for thousands of years. It is equal in strength to all seven Chaos Emeralds, and can either enhance or negate their power."

"But, wait," said Raylina. "Isn't the reason Dark Rayman wanted the Emeralds to free Veurtoya?"

"Yeah, that's right," her father replied.

"But doesn't that mean he can use the Master Emerald instead?"

Sonic's eyes widened. "Uh-oh..." He was cut off as Shadow cried out. "He's here, I can feel him!"

"That's very, very bad..."

The party ran into Eggman's large teleportation room, sliding to a halt, to find Dark Rayman floating far above them, with the huge, green gem of the Master Emerald hovering in front of him. "I would like to thank you for your kind donation to my master's cause," he taunted, his voice echoing across the room. "He will be most pleased."

"Rayman!" Sonic yelled, and the Emeralds appeared around the Ray's torso. But they had lost their glow, no longer shining with internal light. Rayman could feel no power from them. He cursed.

"He is using the Master Emerald to block their power!" Shadow called. "They're useless for now!"

Dark Rayman pointed at them, and a bolt of purple lightning struck at them. They scattered as tendrils of dark energy began to tear out of the floor, reaching for prey. Shadows spread across the floor, searching them out.

"You can't do any good here!" Sonic yelled to Amy over the roar of Dark Rayman's attacks. "Get the others out together and get out of here!"

"But I wanna help!" Amy yelled, just as another bolt of lightning struck nearby.

"It's too dangerous! Now go!"

Shadow, Raylina and Rayman were having a hard time dodging Dark Rayman's attacks, but the truth was, he was toying with them. With the Master Emerald, he could crush them in moments if he so chose. But Veurtoya had instilled in him a sadistic pleasure for the pain of others, and so he had no intention of letting them die quickly.

As Shadow slid across the floor, pursued by black tentacles, he realised the Mask Rayman had given him, the Fire Mask, was still emanating power. [i]The Master Emerald only affects the Chaos Emeralds,[/i] he realised. "Sonic! The Masks!" he called. Sonic's eyes widened in realisation. Shadow was about to toss his to Sonic, when Dark Rayman made un upward gesture and a wall of dark spikes sprung up between them. Raylina tried as well, but was knocked to the ground by a blast of air and quickly entombed in shadows. Rayman, though, instead of throwing his, warped to just in front of Sonic with Chaos Control. The Hedgehog swiped it from his hand as he ran past, and a tentacle took Rayman in its grip.

Shadow spikes were erupting from the ground all around Sonic as he ran, but with reflexes like lightning he dodged them all. Shadow used his Mask to warp up to Dark Rayman's position near the ceiling, Chaos Blast him, then quickly warp back to the ground and toss his Mask to Sonic.

Raylina struggled with the dark material that had her in its grip. She tore at it with glowing hands, but it continually regenerated and wrapped itself around her. Rayman was in a similar position, roaring in frustration as the tentacles flowed around him. But then, a silver light began to glow around him, emanating from the 'O' on his shirt. Ly contacted him, their minds connected: [i]Remember how to use these things?[/i] Rayman smiled, the Silver Lum's energy flowing through him.

He tore straight through his shadows, hovered into the air, empowered by Ly's thoughts and the artificial Lum she had sent, and shot towards Raylina, silver energy swirling around his hands and chest. Firing a beam of silver light into the shadows, he freed her. She threw the water Mask to him, and he shot towards Sonic, dropping it to him. Sonic caught it on the run, and all of a sudden he had all four. Using them as he would the seven Emeralds, they span around his body and then disappeared in a flash of light. His fur changed, turning golden, his spikes pointed upwards, and his eyes turned red, transforming into Super Sonic.

He smiled.

He and Silver Rayman flew straight at Dark Rayman. The shade slid to the side, causing Super Sonic to ram into the ceiling, only to collide into Rayman, who punched a silver fist into his gut. Dark Rayman tossed a ball of shadow at Sonic as the golden hedgehog turned to fly at him, but he blocked it with a gloved hand and curled into a ball, grinding into the shadowed Limbless. The three of them fought in the air, silver, golden and black power striking at them. The two Heroes' grins soon turned to grimaces, however, as Dark Rayman began to dominate them both. "Why..." Sonic said as he kicked Dark Rayman against a wall. "Won't..." he pounded him with his fists. "You...just...die!" We've killed you enough times!"

Technically, Dark Rayman and Super Sonic were evenly matched power-wise, with Dark Rayman wielding the Master Emerald and Sonic with all Four Masks of Polokus. But Dark Rayman had far more knowledge on how to use that power, meaning he could handle both Super Sonic and the weaker Silver Rayman with ease. Soon, he had them both at his mercy, wrapped in cocoons of shadows, struggling to break free.

But he didn't kill them, as he so easily could have.

"Goodbye, Hedgehogs, Rays," he called, speaking to all four of them, Shadow and Raylina in cocoons of their own on the ground. "Enjoy life under my Master's rule."

And with that, he disappeared, taking the Master Emerald with him.

"We're screwed,"

"Way to maintain a positive outlook, Knuckles,"

"Just saying it how it is, [i]Miles[/i]. Or do you think you can take on a God by yourself in that tin-can plane of yours?"

"Hey, leave him alone!"

"Oh, don't you start, pinky. You and your oversized hammer. Where do you keep that thing, anyway? Sure as hell ain't know pockets in that dress."

Amy blushed, but Rouge came to her aid. "She's right, Knuckles. We have to stay united, or all is lost,"

"Oh, sorrrrrry, bat-girl. Who put you in charge, anyway?"

"Knuckles, will you shut it!?"

Sonic was pacing up and down, unable to hold still, pausing only to shout at Knuckles. Rayman was seated in a corner, head in his hands, lost in thought. Shadow was examining the brown Fire Mask intently, alongside the red Emerald. Raylina sat with her mother, both with expressions on their faces. The rest of the Mobians were sitting in various positions, bickering.

"Summon the Heroes..." Rayman muttered. He knew all of these people, somehow. Tails, Knuckles, Rouge... somehow he knew them and their various strengths and weaknesses. They had come to him the moment Raylina had handed him a Chas Emerald at the Fairy Council, what seemed like years ago now. Somehow, this knowledge had already been innate inside him.

"Sonic's brow creased, interest triggered by the term "Heroes".

"What was that, Rayman?"

"Hey, Omega," Vector called to the hulking robot in his slow, nasal voice. "What do you do to work out? You got great biceps."

Knuckles turned to the crocodile, annoyance on his face. "He's a robot, you absolute dipsh..."

"Hey! Leave him be," Espio said in his calm, quiet voice. "He never did anything wrong. He's just a little slow on the uptake." He patted Vector affectionately on the back.

"Yeah! So back off!" squeaked Charmy.

Sonic ignored all of this, walking to Rayman. "What is it, buddy?"

Rayman held his head clutched in his hands, forehead screwed up. Images flooded his mind, put there seemingly by divine providence. "WQe can do it!" he said suddenly, looking at the Hedgehog, excitement spreading across his face. "Bring the Heroes here!"

Sonic's eyes widened as the same thoughts and pictures entered his mind. The faceless, green-armoured soldier... the free man who was not free... time's hero, the boy with the pointed ears... the metal warrior who knows love... the consumer of fungus, explorer of pipes...

"Yes!" Sonic cried. "We have two sets..."

Rayman leapt to his feet. "...of Hero's Tokens. The Masks of Polokus..."

"...and the Chaos Emeralds. We can use them..."

"...to bring five other Heroes here, making seven..."

"...to defeat Veurtoya!"

"Yes!"

By this time, all argument around them had ceased. Everyone's eyes were upon the two.

"What are you two on about?" asked Rouge.

Everything had become perfectly clear to Sonic and Rayman.

"We need to get planetside," Rayman said.

"Then what?" Tails asked.

Sonic turned to him. "Then, we kick some divine ass."

The Land of the Livid Dead

The seven Chaos Emeralds were laid out in a circle, balanced on their points. Within that circle were the Four Masks of Polokus, arranged in a cross with the ends touching. Sonic and Rayman stood on either side of this pattern, eyes closed, arms spread(except in Rayman's case). The others looked on in silence, waiting, for what they didn't know.

The call went out, travelling through time, space, and even into other realities, sent by the combined power of Masks and Emeralds. Five heroes chosen by the Gods answered the call, from five different worlds.

Mario

Bowser's Castle, The Mushroom Kingdom

The red-clad plumber gazed into the bubbling lava, as the King of Koopas disappeared once more into the fiery depths. Bowser would return, of course, as he always did. And the suspender-wearing Mario would defeat him once again. This was a routine that had been firmly established through Bowser's many dozens of attempts at kidnapping Peach and taking over the Kingdom. It seemed Mario and Bowser were doomed to continue this battle until they both grew old and tired.

Mario tweaked his moustache, removed his cap, and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Then he disappeared, taken from his land by a flash of blue light.

Link

Ordon Village, Hyrule (Twilight Princess Era)

"Must you leave so suddenly?" cried Illia, embracing the Hero of nodded reluctantly, sliding the Master Sword, blade of Evil's Bane, into its sheath, and then strapping it across his back. He took his floppy, green cap from its place at their bedside and placed it atop his head.

"Well," said Illia, smiling and wiping a tear from her eye. "You certainly look the part,"

Link took her one last time in his gauntleted arms, then left the house and climbed into the saddle of Epona, the chestnut mare who had born him across all of Hyrule and back. She whinnied in delight at his presence, turning to the forest path.

"Be careful," whispered Illia.

"Yah!" shouted Link, and Epona galloped towards the Faron Woods. Barely one hundred metres down the path, they disappeared into the depths of Chaos Control.

Mega Man

Earth, Year 200X

The blue-armoured robot dodged a laser blast from his opponent, ducking into cover behind a steel protrusion. Bolts of energy flew overhead, fired from the opposing Robot Master's fists. Mega Man gripped the gun fitted to his arm, a ball of energy growing at the end of the barrel. His eyes hardened, and he stood up, fired his laser at the Dr. Wily-designed robot...

And disappeared with a discharge of blue light.

Master Chief

Aboard the Forward Unto Dawn

"Chief? Wake up, Chief,"

Cortana's feminine voice broke through the cold sleep.

Master Chief Petty Officer 117's eyes blinked open on the inside of his MJOLNIR armour. He instantly became alert, his biologically enhanced body warming slowly. He slid from his cryo pod, floating lightly through the zero gravity. He gazed around the ship. Or rather, the half a ship.

"Sleep well?"

Chief turned to see the miniature, blue hologram of a short-haired woman, the visual representation of his AI and friend, Cortana. She smiled at him, hands on her digital hips, one eyebrow raised.

"Very well, no thanks to your driving," he replied. "What's happening?"

"You told me to wake you when I needed you," Cortana answered, her simulated lips moving in perfect imitation of human speech. "Well, I think someone may need you,"

She gestured at a flashing computer console.

"A distress signal. Not UNSC, Covenant, or even Forerunner,"

Chief glanced at the flashing light. He had a strange feeling in his gut, an instinct: They had to answer this call. He smiled briefly beneath his golden, polarized faceplate. "Let's go,"

He ejected Cortana's chip from the console, inserting it into the back of his helmet. She appeared once again as an image inside of his faceplate.

Without warning, the two of them disappeared in a flash of blue light.

Gordon Freeman

City 17

"It seems, Mr. Freeman, that you are once again required elsewhere. Fear not: you shall return in time to aid your friends in the Resistance. Alyx and Barney and all the others can wait, I am sure.

Ah, this detour was not included in my designs, I will admit. Like that time your cycloptic friends stole you from my grasp. But this time I must bow to a power higher than myself, astounding as it may seem that one exists.

"Rest assured, Doctor, you will return to smashing Combine in no time at all.

"On the other side, Mr. Freeman."

Land of the Livid Dead

The five appeared simultaneously around the Emerald circle. Master Chief 117, an assault rifle in his hands, his face obscured by a polarised faceplate.

Gordon Freeman, crowbar in hand, green eyes telling a long story of pain and regret behind his glasses.

Link, Hero of Time, wielding the Blade of Evil's Bane alongside an intricately decorated Hylian Shield.

Mega Man, blue armour glinting in the morning light.

Mario, stroking his bushy moustache.

Sonic the Hedgehog, blue spikes quivering in anticipation.

Rayman, fists glowing with yellow energy.

Seven different Heroes, warriors tested dozens of times over. From seven separate worlds, other times, other realities. Each one chosen by a God as protector of his world. Each one implanted with knowledge of this world and the other Heroes.

Armed with seven Chaos Emeralds and Four Masks of Polokus, it was, indeed, time to kick some divine ass.

Sorry if I'm coming across as kind of sexist here, with an all-male team of Heroes. If I could have, I would have thrown Samus Aran from Metroid in, but I wanted to keep the number to seven. I also considered Olimar from Pikmin, Kirby, and, of course, Pac-Man, but I picked the ones I considered most influential and famous.

Chapter 22: Trial by Darkness

Land of the Livid Dead

The Heroes waited, alongside the Mobians, Ly and Raylina. Each took an Emerald to look after. Others began to emerge from the morning mist. The Fighting Squad Warship arrived, with the entire CODEFS team, Betilla and the Council fairies, and a contingent of Teensie Doorwielders onboard, with the Grand Minimus leading them. The Limbless fairy quickly greeted Ly with a nod, and the two quickly entered telepathic discussion.

The rumble of an engine broke through the fog, and Dark Hog emerged, Team Scorpion onboard. As it came to a halt, Master Chief examined it. "Does this remind you of anything?" Cortana said inside his helmet. "Yeah. It looks an awful lot like a Warthog." He turned to the exiting Rayden, who held Tybalt over his shoulder. "Where did you get this?" he asked. Rayden smiled. "That's for me to know…" he patted the vehicle as he walked by. "and you to find out," He looked up at the six foot ten Spartan's faceplate. "Demon." He moved on to Rayman.

"What are you doing here?" the fellow Ray asked.

"Well, it seems Evil Genius Incorporated does not take to kindly to people who blow up their top-secret research facilities," Rayden replied. "So, finding ourselves between jobs, we decided it was in our best interests to assist you with your little pest control problem."

Gripnos the Knaaren and Sharkin the Teensie walked up behind him on either side, weapons in hand.

Rayman nodded. "Good to have you, then."

Lachimax walked over to Rayden, spear on his shoulder. "well, well, if it isn't the mercenary," he said. "Surprised you're here without being paid."

"Ouch. That hurt," Rayden replied, an ironic smile on his face.

"I take it you two have met?" asked Rayman, raising an eyebrow.

"Our paths have crossed," said Lachimax. "Not always on the same side, either."

"Hey, you think all of this ammo and fuel is cheap? We have to go with the highest bidder. And if that sometimes brings us into contradiction with your idealistic world view, what can you do?"

And then, climbing out of a yellow portal opened by one of the Grand Minimus' Doorwielders, Clark the one-man army appeared, grinning and flexing his mountainous muscles. Following him came Globox, Rayman's lifelong friend, his wife, Uglette, and ten of his now-adult sons and daughters. Rayman grinned and ran over to them. "Clark! Globox!" he called. Nothing can stop us now you two are here!"

Globox hugged his old friend. "If only Andy were here!" he said jokingly, referring to the former commander of the Black Lums, whom Globox had inadvertently swallowed many years ago.

Clark picked Rayman up in one hand, raising him into the air. "Hey, little buddy. How 'bout an arm wrestle?"

And finally, the Griskins arrived, a group of the ghostly Teensie spirits who haunted the Land of the Livid Dead, and were in fact the very Livid Dead the name referred to. The leader of the spirits consulted with Lachimax. "We are ready to fight with you, Fused One," he said, his voice strangely ethereal.

The morning mist had begun to clear, revealing the valley of the Land of the Livid Dead., which they were at the very edge of. The Land had a serene beauty, with verdant pastures, glittering lakes and rivers, and ancient stone ruins, the remnant of the old Teensie Empire.

But across the beautiful valley, the Hoodlums had taken hold. They had already erected many of their makeshift wooden towers and barricades, rallying to the Dark God.

And, in the centre of the valley, where the Tower of the Griskins had once stood proud, Rayman could just make out Veourtoya himself, in the form of a huge, black dragon, still trapped in the bubble placed there to hold him by the Ancients.

"Dark Rayman hasn't released him yet," Rayman muttered. "Why not?"

"I think he means to toy with us," Lachimax answered "Time for us to show him the error of his ways."

Lachimax climbed aboard the CODEFS warship, standing on the edge of the deck. Bucket positioned the ship out in front of the assembled crowd, so that Lachimax was facing them. Before him lay a fairly small force, but made from powerful and well-equipped beings. His own Fighting Squad, including Gilly, Christian, Bloodgrey, and Foilarak, bristling with every type of weapon imaginable; The Griskins, floating translucently in a loose wedge; The Fairy Council itself, Raylina, Betilla and Ly at its head; Clark the Giant, a formidable force on his own; Globox, Uglette, and five of their children;, ready to put their rain-dance powers to good use; Team Chaotix, consisting of Espio the Chameleon, Vector the Crocodile, and Charmy Bee; Miles "Tails" Prower, sitting in his parked Tornado plane; Teensies of the Council, led by the Grand Minimus; Murfy, whom it seemed had just arrived; Team Scorpion, the gun-toting Teensie, Knaaren and Ray seated in and around Dark Hog; Knuckles the Echidna, ready for action; Team Dark, Shadow, Rouge and Omega, standing still and ready; Amy Rose, large hammer in hand; and the Heroes themselves, Mario, Gordon Freeman, Master Chief, Link, Mega Man, Sonic, and Rayman. All looked up at Lachimax, waiting to see what he had to say,.

"Alright, people, listen up!" he called. "We don't know how long we have until Dark Rayman decides to release the Dark God. All we know is that we have to stop that from happening, at any cost. We need to push through the Hoodlums towards the Tower of the Griskins, or what's left of it. Bucket in the warship and Tails in the Tornado will provide air support, and Clark and Team Scorpion in Dark Hog will lead on the ground, with the fairies and Globoxes clearing a path ahead of them. The Fighting Squad will cover everyone's backs.

"The rest of us will sweep through behind Clark and Team Scorpion. If anybody is separated from the main group, attempt to regroup at the Tower. It could get messy in there, so watch out."

"Alright people," Rayman called to everyone. "Let's do this thing."

He was promptly deafened as they roared their approval.

A Hoodboom stood atop his makeshift watchtower, surveying his edge of the valley. He held one of his Molotov-like grenades in his hand, tossing it up and catching it, over and over.

The Hoodboom looked up as over the hill there came the sound of many people yelling at once. He narrowed his eyes, preparing to sound the alarm.

Then there was the rumble of an engine starting, and dark clouds began to boil above him. And suddenly, like two predatory dragonflies, a flying sail-ship and a blue biplane appeared from behind the hills, weapons firing. The Hoodboom yelled, and his comrades turned to attention bellow, rifles flashing. Lightning began to fall from the clouds above them. Where the bolts landed, explosions blasted large craters.

Hoodlums screamed as the lightning and the bullets scattered them. The Hoodboom cast around in panic, shouting orders, which fell on deaf, panicked ears. Then he heard the rumble of a powerful engine. He looked down from the aircraft that were wreaking such havoc among the Hoodlums to see a bulky, armoured, all-terrain vehicle and a huge, muscular creature atop the hill. The Hoodboom screamed at the soldiers below, but they paid no heed, preoccupied by their own hazards.

Clark spread his arms, saggy throat quivering as he uttered a ground-shaking battlecry, and charged down the hill. Dark Hog's wheels span, throwing up clumps of mud and grass, as Gripnos threw it into gear and accelerated down the hill after Clark. Sharkin fired a chain of bullets from the turret, strafing the already panicked Hoodlums. The Hoodboom threw a grenade in desperation, exploding uselessly behind Dark Hog, just as Clark smashed into his watchtower. The makeshift wooden structure collapsed forwards as Clark travelled straight through it. Dark Hog skidded sideways to avoid the falling wreckage and rolled straight through the line of Hoodmongers, crushing several of them and coming about to lay cover fire for the rest of the Hero's Army as it charged down the hill in a great wedge. The Seven Heroes were at its head, with the Griskins flying behind them, casting bolts of electricity from their hands. Freeman held an AR2 Pulse Rifle to his shoulder, eyes intent with concentration behind his glasses.. Master Chief held a Covenant Needler in each gauntleted hand, launching pink, explosive shards into the confused Hoodlum ranks. Link paused midway down the slope to shoot a flaming Fire Arrow from his bow, to detonate and set three Hoodlums aflame. Mega Man fired round balls of energy from his arm cannon, shouting a fierce warcry. Mario simply ran, leaping into the air and landing squarely on an Officer's head at the base of the hill.

Rayman and Sonic smashed into the Hoodlum line together, tearing straight through the first rank. Rayman fought with sheer ferocity, using his fists and feet to deal great damage.  
Sonic broke away from the main group, speeding onwards. The Tornado flew behind him, piloted by Tails, clearing a path ahead of him with rockets and machine guns. Coming to another wooden watchtower, which rose in threetiers, Sonic leapt onto the first tier curled into a ball, homing in on a hapless Hoodmonger. He bounced off its head, uncurling as Tails cleared the next tier with a wave of gunfire, and landed at speed on the next tier as the last of the Hoodlums fell. He launched himself out to the side of the third tier, flying through the air, and grabbed one of the wooden poles sticking out beside it, swinging himself up onto the third and highest tier. He bounced around the platform in ball form, quickly dispatching the Hoodlum soldiers there. His momentum carried him off the side of the platform, to hit a steep rock face there. He ran along it, the Tornado following like a bird of prey, and jumped to the ground, speeding further into the Land of the Livid Dead.

The fairies and the Globox family had combined their powers, using the frog-like creatures' meteorological abilities as a medium to deliver the fairies' magic. Lightning produced by the Globoxes' storm clouds fell ahead of the force, carrying potent fairy power, which cleared away most opposition. Raylina, Ly and Betilla led the Fairies and Globoxes further in, the Fighting Squad forming a semi-circlebehind them. The fairies maintained constant telepathic contact with each other as they fought their way further in.  
The Hoodlum Army was scrambling to try and prevent the Hero-led forces, with very little success. The small army was like a jackhammer, smashing effectively through the Black Lums as  
though they were little more than the scarecrows they were dressed like.

Master Chief sprinted towards a group of Hoodmongers, MJOLNIR armour and bio-augmented physique allowing him to run faster than the vast majority of other humans, emptying both of his Needlers into the Hoodlums. The pink shards tore into the cloth bodies of the soldiers and exploded, ripping them to shreds.  
He discarded one Needler to punch a Hoodlum through the face with enormous force, span, and hit the last remaining soldier across the face with his other Needler. Holstering the alien weapon, he drew his Assault Rifle and pumped two Hoodmongers and a Hoodlum Officer full of 15mm Full Metal Jacket rounds. As both of his Needlers were dry, he traded them for a Hoodlum rifle, quickly blasting a Hoodstormer out of the air with a quickly aimed energy bolt.  
"Nice shot," said Cortana from inside his helmet. Chief charged forward, taking cover behind a rock as numerous rifle bolts hit him. His shields drained to half, regenerating as he crouched behind the rock. Pulling out and priming a plasma grenade, he lobbed it over the rock at the offending Hoodlums. With a strangely menacing "de-deep", it stuck to a Hoodmonger, becoming the last thing that Hoodlum ever heard. The Hoodlum just had time to look down at the glowing, blue blob on his chest in surprise before it detonated and blasted he and his comrades apart with a blue crackle of electricity.  
Coming out from cover, the Master Chief saw what they had been guarding.  
A strange, wood and metal, helicopter gunship.  
He smiled.

A Hoodlum soldier took a swipe at Gordon Freeman with its rifle as he closed with it. He blocked the rifle with his crowbar, drawing his pistol and shooting the Hoodmonger three times in the scarecrow face. Putting both weapons away, he drew a shotgun three Hoodlums with both barrels. Switching to his orange-glowing, claw-like Gravity Gun, he wrenched a Hoodlum shotgun from the hands of its Officer bearer with a surge of zero point energy. Pointing the weapon at the Hoodlum he had taken it from, he pulled the trigger, and three slow-moving energy projectiles shot out of the barrel. One flew straight forward, slamming into the intended target's chest like a steamroller, and the other two flew left and right at a wide angle.  
Hoodlums certainly had eccentric tastes as far as weapons were concerned.  
He was standing alone now, Hoodlum weapon in hand. Two balloon-ships flew overhead, loaded full of Hoodlums. Only then did Freeman realise he had backed himself into a corner: he was trapped I'm a cul-de-sac with sheer, rock walls, which the balloon-ships were now touching down at the mouth of.  
The Hoodlums piled out of the dropships, took aim down the barrels of their weapons, and opened fire. Bolts pinged off Gordon's orange and black Hazardous Environment (HEV) suit, draining its power as he sprinted away, returning fire. Spotting at the last second a small, perfectly square tunnel cut into the base of the cliff at the end of the cul-de-sac, he crawled inside. Trading one last volley with the advancing Hoodlums, he dropped threw the hole at the end of the tiny tunnel into the cavern beneath.  
He found himself in a quiet, straight-walled cave, clearly not made by natural means. He was inside an old, underground ruin of the ancient Teensie Empire, the walls carved with depictions of various Teensies and their actions. Freeman shone his flashlight briefly over the artwork, and then turned  
to walk along the tunnel.

Chief climbed into the Hoodlum chopper. It was not sleek; it was not particularly well built; and it was most certainly not the least bit graceful. Chief was worried that it would not be able to lift his half-ton of MJOLNIR armour and biologically enhanced human. But as his hands gripped the makeshift controls, and it lifted slowly into the air, it seemed fairly functional, if not entirely agile.  
Now there were three aircraft in the Hero's Army.

"Shadow!"

The voice cut into the Hedgehog's ears through the near-deafening sounds of battle. It dug through the fifty years of broken, pained memories, took him back to the Space Colony Ark when it was almost new. During the GUN raid that had changed his life forever.

The soldiers...

They were going to kill her!

"Maria!"

He took off, before Rouge or Omega could stop him.

He chased after that girl's voice, blasting through anything unfortunate enough to get in his way. His perception shrank to a single-minded desperation, to reach the source of the voice which had haunted him since that fateful day on the Ark. Maria's voice.

The Maria that was fifty years dead.

Coming to the base of a rocky hill and skidding to a halt, her phantom voice overcame his senses. "Shadow! I'm trapped, and they're coming for us! Help me, Shadow!"

With a blast of raw, desperate Chaos energy, he blew a hole into the hill and followed Maria's voice.

Deep within the underground cave he found her, leg stuck beneath an enormous boulder. Her blue dress fluttered pathetically in the breeze as she looked at him beseechingly with those huge eyes. She was in pain. "Shadow!" she cried desperately.

With the strength of the Black Arms he lifted the massive boulder off her and tossed it aside as though it were a child's toy. "Maria!" he said, crouching beside her. "Are you hurt?"

She was not facing him, lying on the ground, looking away. "You took so long, Shadow," she said accusingly.

He was taken aback. "I... tried."

"And you failed. Like you always fail. Like how you let me die, all those years ago. Cold and alone."

Shadow clutched at his chest, collapsed to his knees. "No...please..."

She laughed a cold, cruel laugh. She looked around, into his eyes. Hers had changed from a beautiful blue to a shining yellow. As she laughed, her voice grew deeper, more gravelly.

"How pathetic you are, Shadow the Hedgehog!" she cackled in Dark Rayman's voice as she rose to her feet. Shadow watched in horror as she raised her hand and darkness flowed from it, entrapping him, cocooning him, and lifting him into the air. "Some Ultimate Lifeform," she whispered, leaning towards his uncovered eyes. "Who would have thought such a creature would have such a crucial flaw. Sentimentality is a weakness, one to be exploited. You are not Ultimate. Ultimate is perfection, flawless. Untouchable. And you, Hedgehog..." Shadow could only watch, mouth smothered by shifting, living darkness, as she grinned a malicious grin. "...are most definitely touchable."

Maria suddenly shifted and morphed, becoming Gerald Robotnik, Eggman and Maria's grandfather, and Shadow's creator, madness in his eyes as he programmed the Ark to crash into Mobius. Then he became Black Doom, the alien's red eyes piercing Shadow's mind as he plotted the downfall of the human race. Then he transformed into a Shadow Android, a robot identical to Shadow in every way except for the empty eyes, accompanied by Eggman's voice: "You are a robot, a faker! Not the true Shadow. I built you..."

Then it changed colours, becoming navy blue with lighter quill stripes and dark eyes. In a very deep voice, he said: "Why do you fight for a world that will turn against you?"

Then finally, Mephiles shifted into the form of Dark Rayman.

"You are a fool, Shadow the Hedgehog," he whispered into his ear. "And you are soon to die."

But then rage burned through Shadow. Feeling the power of the Fire Mask, which had once been protected by Foutch deep underneath the Sanctuary of Rock and Lava, and reached into it. Not breaking eye contact with Dark Rayman, he let the Mask of Polokus flow through him, energising him.

"Don't touch me."

And fire burst out of him, red and orange and yellow, blasting away the shadows of the shade's eldritch cocoon. Using the Fire Mask to focus his rage , he poured flames from his hands into Dark Rayman, his figure wreathed in fire. A halo of flames surrounded his body as he struck at the shade, pouring every destructive energy he could muster into it. But still Dark Rayman stood there, pitted against the flames, lips curled in anger. Rocks melted into slag around them both, but still both stood there, engulfed in fire but miraculously untouched. Shadow roared, fire permeating his whole being, and, with a phenomenal effort, unleashed a massive, fiery explosion. It blasted the entire hill away, throw rocks far and wide, drawing the eyes of every being in the Land of the Livid Dead. A great cloud of dust and smoke rose into the air from the crater. And then, suddenly, a pillar of pure, raging fire shot into the air from the hole, burning into the sky. For several seconds the column of flames shook the valley, and then, suddenly, it ceased.

When the smoke cleared, there was Shadow, at the bottom of the blackened crater, hands clutched around the Fire Mask. Dark Rayman was nowhere to be seen.

Baring his fangs in defiance, Shadow the Hedgehog climbed out of the crater and continued to fight the Hoodlums with renewed vigour.

Team Scorpion were travelling along in Dark Hog, crushing enemies beneath the all-terrain whells and sweeping death from its turret. Clark the Giant was running beside them, arms outstretched. A Heckler emerged in front of them, equal in size to Clark. Sharkin, in the turret, attempted to shoot it down, but the bullets bounced off its sturdy armour, and it slammed into the heavy vehicle, overturning it. Rayden fell from the passenger seat as it skidded across the ground, quickly drawing his sword and taking cover behind the inverted vehicle. Sharkin struggled out of the turret seat, but Gripnos was trapped, hindered by his Knaaren bulk. The Hackler was firing huge bolts of energy into Dark Hog's other side from its converted-toilet cannon, pushing it further. Gripnos struggled to escape his seat as he scraped across the grass, and Rayden tried to help, but to no avail.

And then Clark turned, roared and ran at the Heckler. It ceased its fire on Team Scorpion and turned towards him just in time to be tackled to the ground. Both Clark and the Heckler climbed to their feet, the Heckler taking aim with its cannon. Before it could fire, Clark took the one-time toilet with his massive fist and pulled, and with a deafening crack it pulled free of the Hoodlum's shoulder. Bereft of its main weapon, the Heckler punched Clark in the chest. Clark punched it back, causing it to fly backwards ten metres.

As Team Scorpion watched this battle of the titans, still attempting to free Gripnos, a squad of Hoodmongers began firing on them from behind a cluster of rocks. Sharkin and Rayden quickly drew weapons and returned fire. As Rayden covered him with Tybalt, the Teensie brought out his sniper rifle and lay prone on the ground. Taking aim quickly through his sights, he blew a Hoodlum's head off with a squeeze of the trigger. The other four ducked into their cover, blind-firing over the top of the rocks. Taking aim again, Sharkin shot a Hoodlum's hand, causing it to scream in pain and drop its rifle. Another poked its head out to take aim, and swiftly lost it to Sharkin's sniping. The remaining two were more careful, taking turns to stick their rifles out and blind-fire. Rayden sprinted at the rock, his sword drawn, dodging the chaotic fire of the Hoodlums. He leapt high over the rock, rolling and slicing a Hoodlum in half before it could react. The other turned towards him, but Rayden came at it with an overhead slice, forcing it to block the blade with its rifle. Then Rayden simply ran it through.

The last, weaponless Hoodlum, whose hand was missing from Sharkin's bullet, backed away, mouth working in terror...

And gained a hole through the chest as it came into Sharkin's sights.

But before they could celebrate, the Heckler crashed into Dark Hog. Sharking dove out of the way just in time to avoid being crushed as it turned back onto its wheels and then right back upside down as its momentum took it over again. Gripnos was knocked senseless against the ground, and Sharkin tried to take aim at the Heckler, but Clark punched it out of the way. He gripped it by the shoulders and smashed it into the ground, pounding at its chest. As the Heckler struggled, Clark stood on its skirt to hold it in place, grabbed its wood-metal armour, and wrenched it off over the Hoodlum's head, tossing it way. The Heckler kicked him off and jumped to its feet, but now it was vulnerable. Clark came at it again, ground shaking with his footsteps. It blocked his first blow with its arm, but he punched it hard in the gut. As it doubled over, Clark grabbed its head with both hands and with an almighty pull ripped it off. The now-empty cloth body collapsed to the ground, and Clark tossed the Black Lum away.

Rayden and Sharkin stood aside as the one-man-army pushed Dark Hog upright with very little effort. Gripnos was rising back to consciousness, still in the driver's seat. "You okay, buddy?" Rayden asked, climbing into the passenger seat. He nodded groggily. "I should be okay to drive," said the highly resilient Knaaren.

Mega Man fought with the precision that only a robot could master. Running at a group of Hoodlums, he switched weapons, turning red and white, and fired a spiked, flashing object at them. It embedded itself in a Hoodmonger's chest and exploded, taking out the whole group. Switching to a green colour, he launched a jagged metal disk, beheading a Hoodlum. Five Hoodlums turned to fire at him, but he turned pink, and time froze, a Hoodlum bullet centimetres from his face. He dispatched them by hand, and time went back to its normal flow. Turning orange, he charged up his gun and fired a ball of burning flame, then switched back to normal blue. He turned to a Hoodlum, kicked it in the gut, punched it in the face, and shot it. Rolling to avoid a Hoodmonger swiping at him with its rifle, he stood on one knee and shot three Hoodlums, then leapt to the side. He span to his feet, took aim at a Hoodlum only a metre away...

When it disappeared beneath a massive, stumpy leg. It belonged to some sort of tall, two-legged vehicle, driven by a small Hoodlum hanging from the centre. Pulling a rope to lift a leg, the Hoodstomper directed the vehicle to stomp on Mega Man. He dove out of the way, trying to shoot the small Hoodlum driving the Hoodstomper. But the second foot kicked him aside, and he bounced away. Mega Man could only watch as the Hoodstomper crushed a Teensie to the ground and moved towards the main group. He scrambled to his feet, took careful aim, and the Hoodstomper driver. It yelled in pain and began to turn around. Mega Man ran at it, firing over and over, and then began charging a shot and slid feet-first along the ground, coming to a rest directly between the Hoodstomper's legs, aimed straight up, and released the fully charged shot. The pilot was blasted off, and the Hoodstomper legs fell over.

Blowing the smoke from his gun barrel, Mega Man kept going.

The Mobians were mainly sticking together throughout this, except for Tails, Shadow, and Sonic, who were off doing their own thing. But Amy was wielding her giant hammer alongside Omega's machine guns. Team Chaotix was working as a cohesive unit, and Knuckles and Rouge battled side by side. They, too, made their way towards the centre of the valley.

Gordon Freeman reached a pile of rubble, of course completely blocking the tunnel, left over from some seismic collapse. Without hesitation he began to climb upwards, over the boulders, towards a tiny gap near the tunnel ceiling.  
He had a fair amount of climbing experience. After several minutes of climbing, he hoisted himself onto a flat, rock platform, protruding from the rubble, he hooked his crowbar onto the rock above and pulled himself up, grabbing the stone with his hand when he was close enough, and climbed onto it. He was now slightly higher than the gap, and close enough to jump.  
Carefully gauging the distance, and not hesitating to look down as he did so, he prepared to make the leap. He was at least a dozen metres from the solid, rock hard tunnel floor, but he would have died hundreds of times already had he been afraid of heights. Heights were something of a speciality for the physicist turned action hero, and he had encountered many long, empty elevator shafts and tall cliffs in Black Mesa and City 17.  
He backed up and, with the assistance of his HEV suit, he sprinted towards the edge, making the jump.  
His flashlight battery chose that moment to run out of charge.  
Gordon was plunged into blackness as he travelled through the air. Grabbing blindly at where his instincts told him the hole should be, he just managed to catch his hand init. It nearly wrenched his arm off, but he kept his grip. Dangling from one arm in the darkness, he used the other hand, the crowbar firmly in its grip, to clear rocks out of the gap until it was large enough for him to crawl through.  
Once again hoisting himself upwards, he squeezed through the hole and dropped a couple of metres, still blinded by the utter darkness. He rolled as he hit another stone platform, scraping a patch of skin from his face as he did. "Minor blood loss detected," droned the computerised voice of his suit, a voice he had long ago learnt to ignore. Turning on his now fully recharged flashlight, he peered over the edge of his new platform. He was now at the edge of a wide, incredibly deep pit. Shadows stretched below him, yawning wide like the maw of a Xen Barnacle.  
The jagged edges only accentuated this imagery. His flashlight didn't penetrate the darkness far enough to see anywhere near the bottom, giving the pit the appearance of bottomlessness. He spotted a large hole off to the side of the pit, several metres below him. Taking another running leap, he landed on a tongue of rock above the hole.  
With a terrifying crack, it slipped under his weight, pitching him towards the blackness of the pit. He clutched for a handhold, grabbing a rocky protrusion. But then the platform creaked and broke off completely, falling into the darkness. Pushing off the rock as it fell, he sailed forwards, landing, thankfully, on the floor of the large hole he had been aiming for.  
He climbed to his feet, waiting for his heartbeat to slow, and found that he could stand comfortably without hitting the ceiling.  
A pile of rocks blocked the smaller, upwards sloping tunnel he found himself in. Producing his Gravity Gun, or Zero-Point Energy Field Manipulator as some preferred to call it, he used it to clear the small boulders away.

Dark Hog reached a heavily rocky area, which even the four-wheel-drive, independant suspension vehicle couldn't handle. Clark continued over it without hesitation, but Dark Hog could go no further.

Rayden made a decision. "You two find a way around," he said, climbing out. "I'll continue on foot."

He reloaded Tybalt as Gripnos and Sharkin came out to him. They stood in a circle, and Rayden placed his hand in the middle. "Only the strongest will survive," he recited.

"Lead me to heaven when we die," Sharkin responded, placing his hand on top.

"I am a shadow on the wall," Gripnos continued, also putting his claw in the middle.

"I'll be the one to save us all," Rayden finished, sliding Doomed Love into its sheath, checking Romeo and Juliet, and cocking Tybalt's pump action. The other two returned to Dark Hog, skidding away, and Rayden began to climb over the rocks.

The Fairies came under attack from a group of six hovering Lavomatrixes. The Fighting Squad was unable to shoot down the washing-machine clad Hoodlums, as they were being protected by Hoodoos from a hidden position. The Hoodlums could fire down on the fairies, Teensies, and other assorted creatures from their arm cannons with impunity. They cackled madly as the creatures below the scrambled for cover, diving under rocky outcroppings and wooden structures. Raylina ended up under a rock lip with Ly and Betilla, only able to watch as a Lavomatrix picked up a Teensie with its tractor beam and tossed him away.

[i]We need to get past these things,[/i] Betilla sent. Raylina glanced at her.

Betilla was a limbless fairy, wearing a green and yellow dress and pointed hat. It was an odd quirk of fairy evolution that each fairy was completely different in physical appearance, but were still clearly of the same species, as genetic testing had proven. Some believed that the unique appearance of each fairy were determined by subconscious preference or even fundamental character traits, as all fairies were born the same way and changed as they grew. Which was why Ly was tall, had a tail, and was covered in swirling, purple patterns, and Betilla was Limbless and had red hair.

Ly nodded to her. [i]Silver Lums?[/i] she sent back to Betilla. She nodded.

[i]Raylina can do it,[/i] Ly sent. [i]Are you sure?[/i] Betilla asked.

[i]Yes,[/i] Ly replied confidently . [i]She is ready.[/i]

[i]What are you talking about?[/i] Raylina asked, her fairy heritage allowing her to break into their telepathic conversation.

Ly smiled. [i]You'll see, honey.[/i]

Five more fairies emerged from cover, shielding each other as they ran towards Betilla, Ly and Raylina. The Lavomatrixes all turned to fire at them, but they reached the rocky outcropping before they did any damage. The seven fairies, of widely varying shapes and sizes, stood around Raylina in a circle, eyes closed in concentration, and she began to realise what was happening. She smiled.

A silver ball of light appeared in Ly's hands, growing to full size between them. Betilla produced one between her own floating hands, as did each other fairy.

Silver Lums are, technically speaking, not Lums at all. Lums are self aware, and sometimes intelligent. They share a collective consciousness, linked across all distances, so that they are able to follow the grand purpose the Ancients set out for them (except for Black Lums, who have strayed so far from that path that they have forfeited both their power and their links to other Lums). But Silver Lums are artificially created from the power of the Fairies. They share some of the properties and a similar appearance to true Lums, and are able to imbue living beings with their power, but they are not alive or aware.

They do, however, have a special relationship with the Ray species, able to unlock certain abilities inside a Ray, such as their helicopter hair and energy-based combat powers. Rayman had received his unlocking Silver Lums from Betilla when Mr. Dark had stolen the Heart of the World (He had required the powers in several parcels as Betilla had been weakened from her confrontation with the dark sorcerer). When his powers had disappeared in the first Pirate invasion, he had received further Silver Lums from Ly, again taking several times to unlock all of his powers again as she too had been weakened by the destruction of the Heart of the World. Raylina had just recently received her unlocking Silver Lum from Ly over a distance of many miles.

Silver Lums can also be used to gain a temporary state of power, as Rayman had done aboard the Ark against Dark Rayman. A single Silver Lum had allowed him to fly and made him around a quarter as powerful as Super Sonic. Seven Silver Lums, from seven fairies, would grant a powr which, while not quite equal to Super Sonic, would be pretty damn powerful.

Ly opened her hands, allowing her Silver Lum to float through the air towards Raylina. The other Fairies did so too, and the seven Lums converged on her, spinning around her body in every direction, and then merging into one large silver ball over her 'O'. It sunk into the centre of her torso, and suddenly faerie power flooded through her. Her hands and chest glowed with blinding silver light as she rose into the air with a wide grin that looked just like her father's.

Silver Raylina shot out from under the rocky shelf. The six Lavomatrixes immediately opened fire on her, blasting red shots from their arm cannons. She produced a shield of silver light to reflect the fire back at them, and cast a bright beam of energy at the closest flying Hoodlum. A ghostly green bubble appeared around the Lavomatrix, streaming from a Hoodoo sorcerer hidden high up the cliff face. Raylina followed the stream of magic, and, with a gesture, tore the Hoodlum's cover away and ripped him out of his position, hlding him in the air. She pointed at the now-vulnerable Lavomatrix below her and the Hoodoo shot into it at high speed, crumpling the Hoodlum's metal armour. Following, Raylina smashed straight through the Lavomatrix's body, ripping through the other side. Taking command of the broken pieces, she pointed them towards the others, and jagged metal bounced off their own shields. Combining their power, the flying Lavomatrixes tried to capture her with a tractor beam. A translucent bubble appeared around her, streaming from the metal Hoodlums' chests, and electricity zapped at her. She raised an eyebrow and simply blasted through the bubble. This overloaded two of the Hoodlums, and they crashed to the ground, sparking. Turning to the three remaining Hoodlums, she produced a huge silver ball between her hands and tossed it at them. It split into three seemingly of its own volition , weaving around the Hoodlums' fire and crashing into their shields with such force that the three Hoodoos protecting them dropped unconscious from the effort of maintaining their shields against her power, falling from their hidden positions on the cliff.

Raylina clapped her hands together and two of the machine-Hoodlums smashed into each other and fell to the earth. The final Lavomatrix fired desperately at her, but she simply blocked the shots with her hands and flew up close to it. She ripped its head, containing its Black Lum, clean off, tossing it away.

A swarm of small Hoodstormers few in to harass her further, yelling as they fired their cannons. With the last of her power she fired a pure silver beam at them, sweeping it through them. They dropped like burned-out flies, and she floated back down to the ground, feeling the fairies' consciousnesses leave her.

[i]Good job, honey![/i] Ly sent.

Master Chief flew his Hoodlum helicopter-gunship over the battle, firing its heavy-duty energy weapons into the Hoodlums below. The Black Lums were unable to comprehend an attack from their own aircraft, so that by the time they even thought to send another gunship after him, he was already quite far into the valley.

Following the tunnel upwards, Gordon Freeman's flashlight fell upon a puddle of black liquid. As he watched, the liquid began to smoke, rising into a human shape.  
A human wearing an HEV suit.  
And then Gordon was looking at a near mirror image of himself. The HEV  
suit's orange was a dark blue, and his skin was grey, his beard and hair jet black. His eyes glowed, completely yellow without pupil or iris, behind the glasses. In his hand was a completely black crowbar.  
Without speaking, Freeman's dark copy raised its crowbar and struck at him.  
The true Freeman blocked it with his own, pushing back at the creature and kicking it with his knee. The two of them fought quickly and speechlessly, the only sound the clang of their duelling crowbars echoing  
off the tunnel walls.  
Then, the true Freeman managed to hook the end of his crowbar around the dark Freeman's one, and with a fantastic pull, wrenched it from the shadowy hands. Kicking the dark Freeman to the ground, he planted his foot on the dark copy's chest, drew his .357 Magnum revolver and, without a moment's hesitation, shot it in the face, his own face. A large, black hole appeared in the centre of the face as the powerful bullet blasted into it, obliterating Freeman's features. But then the dark matter shifted and reformed, and a Combine soldier was staring up at him, struggling beneath his foot.  
He fired again.  
The Combine became a HECU marine, one of the soldiers sent to secure Black  
Mesa research facility during the resonance cascade and the first humans Gordon had ever killed.  
Freeman shot him in the face.  
He became Doctor Wallace Breen, Administrator of City 17. "What have you  
ever created, Doctor Freeman? Can you name even one thing?"  
Then his head was blasted apart by a .357 round, and reformed once again. A Vortigaunt, red-eyed, brown-skinned inhabitant of Xen, got a round in the huge, central eye. Its head reformed...Gordon hesitated for only a moment as Alyx Vance appeared on the ground,  
eyes pleading with him. "Gordon... Please..."  
He shot her as well.  
In silence, her body melted into black liquid, which sunk into the ground,  
accompanied by Dark Rayman's chilling laughter.  
"Our mutual friend chose you well, Doctor Freeman."

Mario sprinted at a Hoodlum and slid across the ground feet-first to slide tackle him to the ground. Grabbing one by the feet, he stood and spun quickly around several times, releasing the Hoodlum at maximum speed. Centrifugal force carried it through the air to come crashing down dozens of metres away.

As another Hoodlum came at him, he sprang upwards, clubbing it under the chin on the way up with his fist. Mario came back down on top of the Hoodlum's head, crushing it to the ground. Extending both arms, he spun rapidly on the spot, smashing a group of Hoodlums, yelling "Ya-hoo!" as he did. He broke into a run, surprisingly fast for one as portly as he. A Heckler was coming at him, yelling loudly and firing its shoulder cannon. Mario jumped high into the air and dropped down on the Hoodlum's head like a stone in a Ground Pound. This pushed the Heckler's head straight down through the hole in its armour, crushing its body to the ground and leaving its armour standing, with Mario inside it. He grabbed a corner, lifted it, and tossed it at a group of Hoodmongers. It bowled them over like bowling pins.

Mario produced a large, funny-looking flower, with yellow and red petals around a wide,white centre, which possessed blinking eyes. He lifted it to his mouth and swallowed it in a single gulp, and suddenly fire burned through him. His clothes changed colour, his red shirt turning white and his blue suspenders becoming red.

"Here-a we go!"

Raising a hand, an orange fireball appeared in it, which he tossed at a nearby Hoodmonger. He ran forwards, throwing ball after ball ahead of him to burn a path clear.

Chief expertly piloted the chopper around the two others pursuing him, shooting the rear rotor of one until it began to smoke. It span out, careening into a balloon-ship carrying reinforcements to the front line, exploding and taking them both to the ground. The second gunship loosed a volley at Chief's craft, bombarding its side.  
One shot punched through the chopper's engine, and it caught fire. Using the last of the helicopter's power to steer it out over the enemy chopper, he kicked the door open and dove out.  
He dropped through the air like a brick, coming within inches of the craft's deadly rotor, and grabbed one of two struts beneath the helicopter. The aircraft dipped with his sudden weight, and as his ex-aircraft crashed to the ground, he tore the door open, grabbed the pilot, and threw him out. Climbing in, he took control of his new chopper.  
But then a pair of Lavomatrixes, accompanied by a veritable swarm of Hoodstormers, swarmed his craft. They shot at him from every angle, bombarding it beyond the limited defensive capacity of a craft which was essentially a few planks of wood nailed to an engine.

Kicking a hole in the wooden floor, Chief dropped through it, lobbing a spike grenade into a Hoodstormer as he fell. He hit the ground and rolled in time to see the Brute weapon explode and take out several Hoodstormers, and the now empty gunship crash into a Lavomatrix. He ran off, seeking some cover.

Link charged a group of Hoodlums, protected from their guns by his Hylian shield. Coming among them, he beheaded one with the Master Sword, chopped another in half, and cleaved another straight down the middle from head to toe. Drawing his bow, he notched an arrow to the string and took a Hoodlum atop a watchtower straight through the head, then switched to his Hookshot and fired at the top of the watchtower. The hook flew out of the handheld barrel, trailing a chain behind it as it shot through the air and embedded itself in the wood of the tower. The winding mechanism inside the Hookshot retracted the chain rapidly, pulling Link straight to the top of the tower. Quickly drawing his sword, he performed a spin attack and cleared every Hoodlum from the tower, with a yelled "Hy-a!". Producing a bomb, he lit the fuse and lobbed it at the Black Lums below. It exploded with a burst of smoke and fire. Hookshotting back to the ground, he butted a Hoodlum with his shield, knocking it to the dirt. He plunged his blade into its chest.

Now, his way back blocked by the watchtower, there appeared to be no way forward except for a small lake before him. He dove into it, quickly spotting an underwater tunnel beneath the surface. Taking a deep breath, he swam into the tunnel and put on, which, for some reason, only weighed him down when he was wearing them and not simply carrying them, to sink to the tunnel floor. He walked along the floor and, when he was almost out of breath, broke the surface and found himself inside an underground cave. Taking off his Boots, he strode forwards. Then, suddenly, he froze. Someone was standing behind him...

He span, slashing at whatever was ghosting him, and his sword clanged against one just like it. Link's eyes widened to see a mirror image of himself standing there. He was completely black, except for his eyes, which glinted red.

It was Dark Link.

Dark Link launched an upwards vertical slice at Link, which he barely blocked. Putting Link on the back foot, his Dark counterpart followed through with a spinning slice, which Link was able to block with his shield, followed by a chop at Link's feet. The true Link was forced to fight defensively, unable to get a blow in. But then Dark Link kicked him in the gut, winding him, and leapt high into the air to bring his sword through Link's head. But Link managed to raise his shield over his head, and Dark Link's sword bounced right off with a jarring, deafening clang. Taking the opportunity, Link struck at him, stabbing towards the shade's belly. Dark Link managed to sweep the sword aside, but now Link was on the offensive. Grunting with each clash of blades, he drove Dark Link backwards. Sweat dripped down his brow, face knotted in concentration. Finally, he surprised Dark Link with a spin attack, swiped his shadowed Master Sword aside, and kicked him in the chest. Dark Link's sword arm was thrown to the side, and Link sliced upwards from below, cutting it off. The dark blade clattered to the ground, dead hand still holding it tight.

But Dark Link continued, the black stump of his arm unbleeding. He charged at Link shield-first, taking him by surprise and butting him in the head. He sprawled to the ground and Dark Link kicked at him. Link rolled away, stabbing at Dark Link's feet. One of his blows found its mark, cutting his leg clean off. But still Dark Link stood, making an almost comical figure as he hopped towards Link. Link kicked him to the ground, knocking his shield aside and slicing off his arm and leg. Dark Link's limbless body rose into the air of its own accord, his red eyes piercing the darkness. Finally, Link struck a horizontal slice to behead the shade. The body fell to the ground, leaving a disembodied head hovering at Link's eye level. As he watched in horror, it morphed into Dark Rayman's head, and the various cut off body parts reformed to become Dark Rayman. The shade grinned, and knocked Link to the ground.

When he looked up, the shade was gone.

Rayden was now down on a flat, grassy area, surrounded by a twisted maze of rocky spires and cliffs. A river ran beside him as he jogged further into the valley. There was not a Hoodlum in sight, but the smoke and sounds of battle were still visible and audible. He ducked into the shadow of one of the spires as a patrol of Hoodstormers flew overhead, rotors puffing away. He could easily have dispatched them, but there was no point in drawing attention to himself. As he watched, though, they encountered a group of Griskin Teensies, which cast bolts of lightning from their hands and annihilated the small, flying Hoodlums in seconds. The Griskins flew on.

Rayden rounded a corner in the stone maze, still following the river to see a Hoodlum watchtower blocking his way. He ducked back out of sight, but they had spotted him. Energy bolts pinged off the rocky formation he hid behind, and Hoodboom grenades exploded nearby. "Damn," he muttered.

Keying his radio, he spoke. "Uh, Bucket? This is Rayden, over."

"What can I do for you, sir? Over," came the ex-Pirate's mechanical voice almost immediately from aboard the Fighting Squad warship.

"There's a Hoodlum tower here I want dead. Oh, and don't call me sir. Over,"

"Certainly, sir. On my way. Can you mark it? Over."

"Yes, but don't call me sir. Over and out."

Rayden rolled out from behind his corner, lying prone behind a low rock. Firing a spray at the tower from Tybalt, he produced a laser pointer and aimed it at the tower. The Hoodlums were firing at him, but all were lousy shots and could not hit the miniscule target he presented.

And then the sound of the Fighting Squad warship came from above and behind him.

As it flew towards the location marked by Rayden's laser, the lower section of its bow unfolded, revealing a huge cannon barrel. The end of the cannon began to glow with a swathe of red light, growing as the weapon charged. It reached full power, and as the tallship-like craft flew over Rayden's position it fired, and a dead-straight beam of energy lanced from it to the tower. It smashed through a supporting column, and the wooden structure came crashing to the ground as Bucket pulled up over it, the screams of a dozen Hoodlums piercing through the sound of its collapse.

"Anything else I can do for you, sir?" asked Bucket as Rayden walked through the ruins, finishing off any still-struggling Hoodlums.

"Actually, while you're still here...are there any bikes aboard that ship?"

Shadow kicked a Hoodlum across the face, and span to punch another twice in the chest, In the same motion sweeping the feet out from another. "Ha-duken!" he yelled as he unleashed a fire ball from his hands, setting two Hoodlums afire.

Suddenly, a Spineroo came out of nowhere, spinning its metal balls at a dizzying pace. It swept towards Shadow, but he drew on the Fire Mask's energy, activating Chaos Control. The Spinneroo and everything else around them slowed to a crawl, Shadow simply walked up to the slowly rotating Hoodlum, between its arms, and blasted it backwards. Time resumed its normal pace. Shadow pointed at another Hoodlum and it burst into flame. Making a sweeping gesture, a wave of flame enveloped an entire row of Hoodmongers taking aim at him.

Without warning, something exploded against Shadow's foot. He looked down to see a tiny, grenade-toting Hoodlum running towards him. With a spark of flame he exploded it before it reached him. Then he saw the large, wooden shield-wielding Hoodlum several metres away release another kamikaze Grim from under the skirt of its cloth. Shadow sneered and made an upwards sweeping gesture, and the Grim Keeper disappeared in a pillar of flame.

Looking up, he saw the Fighting Squad warship fly down behind a nearby cliff, something dangling from its hull. As it came back into view, part of that something was gone. [i]A supply drop,[/i] he thought. As he watched, a Hoodlum Anti-Aircraft emplacement rocked the ship, forcing it to release the remainder of its drop and fly away. The crate fell to the ground a few hundred metres from Shadow. Skating to it, he cleared the smashed wood away, revealing the "supplies within.

What he saw made him grin.

Rayden restocked his ammo from the crate that Bucket had dropped to him, and then climbed onto the black motorbike, revving the engine. Kicking away, he accelerated towards a cluster of Hoodlum structures, grinning at the feel of the air on his face. Riding past a rocky wall, he looked to the right and almost fell off his bike in surprise at seeing Shadow the Hedgehog riding an identical motorcycle beside him. The Mobian looked at him and rose an eyebrow with a slight smile, then lifted a machine gun in his right hand. Rayden raised Tybalt in his left, also smiling. As one, they rode into the alley between the Hoodlum structures, firing left and right at the Hoodlums. They steered their bikes straight forward with one hand, firing into the Hoodlum ranks with the other. Reaching the alley's end, perfectly in sync, they braked, turned about, placed a foot on the ground, and sprayed the Hoodlums with bullets. Rayden produced a grenade and lobbed it far into the structures. Then they both turned and rode towards the Tower of the Griskins.

Gordon Freeman was in the rocks above an enclosed Hoodlum camp, crouching to avoid being seen. A patrolling Officer made the mistake of doing his rounds a little too close to his hiding spot, and Freeman dropped down behind him, slipped his crowbar around his neck, and dragged him back into the shadows.  
Clubbing the Hoodlum to make sure he stayed down, he crept closer to the few others, lounging around. Drawing his crossbow, he took careful aim and fired an orange bolt through the air. It nailed a Hoodlum in the chest and pinned him to the wall. The others were suddenly alert, yelling and searching for the source of the bolt. Freeman primed a grenade and lobbed it into their midst. Several spotted it and dived out of the way, but most weren't quick enough to avoid being blown apart. Taking advantage of the confusion, he drew his SMG and ran at the survivors, killing them quickly and efficiently. He turned to the last Hoodlum, pouring bullets into it. The Hoodmonger twisted under the hail of death, then collapsed, revealing the Master Chief to be standing behind him, Assault Rifle raised. The two of them stared at each other down the barrels of their weapons for a moment, then lowered them. "Mind if I join you?" Chief asked.

Rayman fought like a demon through the Hoodlums, smashing and kicking with fists and feet. He punched a Hoodmonger eight times rapidly in the chest, then turned and backhanded another across the face. Another aimed its rifle at him, but he quickly spinning-kicked the weapon out of the Hoodlum's hands, and then round-house kicked it in the head with his other foot. He launched himself into the air, somersaulting mid-leap as he flew over the Hoodlums, and landed crouched in the middle of a group of them. Quickly standing on his hands, he span, kicking them all in the face, and flipped backwards, feet connecting with a Hoodlum's chest and taking it to the ground. His momentum carried him into a roll, rolling off the Hoodlum into an upright position. He charged a yellow ball of energy between his hands and threw it at a single Hoodlum turning towards him.

Black Lums were flapping away in swarms, liberated from their cloth bodies. One fluttered from under the broad-brimmed hat it had once worn atop its head, hovering a metre above the ground, looking around. It turned to see Rayman looking down at it, and started in terror. He made a Grimace at it, pulling the edges of his mouth wide with his hands and waggling his tongue. The Black Lum's eyes and mouth disappeared, as did its fur, and it began to glow red, with a bright core. Rayman absorbed the reconverted Red Lum to replenish his energy, then turned to charge at a group of Hoodlums.

When suddenly, without transition, he was standing atop a very high, small plateau. He could see the battle raging below, the Hero's Army pushing further and further towards the valley's centre. Looking behind him, he found Ly and Raylina, looking just as puzzled as he was. "What...?"

He was interrupted by Dark Rayman's laughter.

"How very touching," he said condescendingly as he solidified in front of them. "The family of mismatches, together alone at last. My, what trials you have endured! Torn from each other by madmen and dark spirits, to finally be united once again! What a shame it must end so soo."

The three responded alike: Rayman and Raylina tossed a blue and a yellow ball of energy at him, and Ly a ball of flame. Dark Rayman merely absorbed the attacks, grinning. Brows creased in anger and concentration, the family advanced on the shade, driving their attacks at him. He stepped back, and then knocked them away with a surge of invisible force. Rayman stood, fists glowing with rage, and punched the shade in the face. But then, without warning, Dark Rayman melded into a shadowy blob, with Rayman's fist embedded in it. Becoming a gas-like mass of darkness, the dark being rushed into the 'O' on Rayman's torso, disappearing inside him. Rayman clutched at his chest in shock.

And then he changed.

His hair turned red, his skin grey, his torso dark blue. His eyes widened in horror as he battled internally for mastery of his own body. A dark force seized control of him, paralysed him, then invaded his very mind. He struggled desperately inside his head, trying to fight back the shadows.

But then, his eyes lost their pupils and turned yellow, glowing with malice. Sneering, he turned to Ly and Raylina.

Dark Rayman had become him. And he had become Dark Rayman.

He fired a beam of yellow and purple energy from his fists, forcing them to dive aside. Laughing madly, the shade/Ray cast tainted flames at them. But Ly held Raylina to her and formed a barrier of silver light before the flames her loving partner threw at her.

[i]Join with me![/i] she spoke desperately into Raylina's mind. She did, allowing her mind to meld into her mother's. Joined by a bond of telepathy, with Ly wielding their combined power, they dove into Rayman's corrupted mind.

Fighting through the darkness that clouded him, they found his consciousness huddled in a corner of his brain. Awakening him, the three merged minds cleared Dark Rayman out of the true Rayman's mind, pushing the spirit out of his body. Together they puged his body of the shadows, evicting Dark Rayman from his newly claimed body. With one final push, they blasted Dark Rayman out of him entirely, and the shade disappeared.

Rayman gasped as his body returned to normal, collapsed on the ground. Ly ran to help him to his feet.

Chief towered over Freeman as they advanced together, weapons raised. Chief was carrying a Hoodlum rifle and an Assault Rifle, but of course Gordon's HEV suit allowed him to carry many weapons at once (including a large and very heavy rocket launcher) without any discomfort, through a device Doctor Kleiner had never quite managed to fully explain to him. Something to do with a warping of space-time around a tiny Xen portal.  
They were in a winding maze of stone and grass, moving steadily towards the valley centre.  
Hearing the sound of battle around a corner, they readied their guns and looked around the rocky protrusion.  
They saw a force of at least fifty Hoodlums of various types pursuing a blue figure across a flat field. Mega Man was sprinting towards the other two Heroes, laser balls back as he ran.  
Reaching the rock wall where Chief and Freeman hid, the robot pressed himself against it, apparently quite surprised to see them.  
"You've really stirred up the ants' nest," Cortana commented from Chief's suit. They ignored her.  
"There's only one way out of here, said the Master Chief. Mega Man sighed, then nodded, charging his arm cannon.  
He dove out of cover, firing rapidly. The other two took position on either side of him, and they ran forwards, towards the surprised Hoodmongers.

Link emerged from his cave, underneath a large Hoodlum platform. He could hear them running about above him. Drawing his sword, he prepared to go up the ladder and face them. But then there was a crunch of grass behind him...

He span around, striking with all his strength, and his sword met a crowbar with a loud clang. He lowered his Master Sword when he saw Gordon Freeman standing there. Without speaking, the two nodded at each other. Mega Man and Master Chief emerged from the shadows behind Freeman, greeting Link. Gordon had been planting S.L.A.M. explosives at the supporting columns of the platform, and was ready to detonate. The four of them sprinted away from under the platform. Hoodlums quickly spotted them, shouting meaningless gibberish. The four Heroes dove to the ground, and Gordon pressed the button on the detonating remote. The platform collapsed with a boom and a crack, crumbling to the ground in a cloud of dust. The cries of the Hoodlums reached them, and they stood to admire their handiwork. Then they turned and continued towards the centre.

Sonic was running, as usual. He had left Tails behind a while ago, and had battled through scores of Black Lums. But now he skidded to a halt, seeing someone standing alone in the centre of a field. It appeared to be a dark-coloured Hedgehog.

"Shadow?" he called.

Shadow had left Rayden and his bike, preferring to fight alone. He was trying to decide which way to go when a deep, angry voice called from behind him. "Shadow!"

He turned to see Mephiles the Dark, or at least an image of him, almost identical to Shadow. Probably Dark Rayman up to his usual tricks. "Begone, shade!" he yelled angrily.

The dark Hedgehog turned towards Sonic, and he saw it was not Shadow. It's spines curved down, more like Sonic's, and it lacked the red stripes Shadow possessed. It's eyes were yellow and empty.

"Begone, knave!" it called.

"Hey! No-one talks to me like that!"

"No-one is impotent to me for long," said Shadow's darker twin, taking a step towards him. "I said, begone!" Shadow threw a fireball at him.

"I said, begone!" shouted Sonic's shade, casting a ball of black fire at him. Sonic rolled out of the way. "Oh, it's on."

Running at the dark Hedgehog, he curled up and performed a homing attack.

Shadow dodged the shade's homing attack, kicking him aside with brutal force. It sprawled to the ground, and he did a homing attack of his own.

As the black Hedgehog sped at Sonic in a ball, he brought both his feet up and kicked it away. It uncurled and skidded to a stop, then rushed at him. Sonic slid aside, and, drawing on the Air Mask's power, sped around and around the shade, creating a whirlwind, with the black Hedgehog at its centre.

"So that's how you want to play it?" Shadow muttered as the shade's whirlwind swirled violently around him. With a burst of the Fire Mask's energy, the whirlwind became one of fire, swirling around Shadow. Sweeping his hands to his sides, the vortex expanded towards the shade.

Sonic blocked the black flames with a shield of air, then curled into a ball and started charging a Spin Dash. When the smoke cleared, he shot forwards into the shade, then sped away in a ball.

Shadow curled into his own ball to pursue the shade, quickly catching up. The two Hedgehogs bounced off each other several times, clashing as each strove for dominance. Shadow bounced off the grass onto a cliff face, tearing up rocks as he span along it. The shade uncurled to run along the ground, and Shadow homed in on him, smashing him to the ground.

Sonic smashed to the ground, but gained his feet and leapt away just as the place he had fallen burst into flame. He ran, flames pursuing him as his shade ran alongside him. Sonic blasted it with a burst of wind, and it crashed into a rock. Running far ahead, then skidding to a halt and turning, he accelerated at the shade.

Shadow was ready as the shade sped towards him, and produced a wall of flames ahead of him. Too fast to stop, the shade ran straight through the flames and immediately caught fire, but also crashed into Shadow. The shade quenched the flames by pushing all the air around it away, creating a small vacuum.

[i]There's an idea,[/i] Sonic thought as he blasted the shade with wind. Focusing the Air Mask's power, he drained all air from around the flame-wielding shade. Unable to cast any more fire, for of course they needed air to burn, it simply curled into a ball and homed in on Sonic. But he was ready for that. Dodging aside, he pushed the curled-up shade with intense wind, slamming it into another cliff face. "You're too slow!" he called, running on.

[i] That sounded like something Sonic would say,[/i] Shadow thought as he pursued the shade, burning after him. The shade hit a rock wall, jumping at it and springing off it with his legs to land behind Shadow, who skidded to an abrupt halt, only to be blasted into the cliff face by a strong wind. Retaliating with fire, the two stood off, forces of air and fire pushing against each other. For a moment they blasted at each other, and then suddenly ceased. Shadow stepped forward, striking at the shade with his hand.

Sonic blocked the shade's blow with his arm, and then frowned as its spines turned upwards and gained red stripes. "What the..." he gasped as Shadow the Hedgehog materialised before him, looking equally shocked. Then realisation dawned on both of them.

"That bastard," cursed Shadow.

Chapter 23: Rogue God

Near the Tower of the Griskins, Land of the Livid Dead

Rayman had reached the valley's very centre. He was standing before a cliff, past which lay the ruins of the Tower of the Griskins and the Dark God. Ly and Raylina were at his side. Black clouds swirled above them, the Tower's ruins at their epicentre, lightning flashing across them.

As they waited, Link, Freeman, Master Chief and Mega Man arrived behind them, followed by Mario, then Sonic and Shadow. Rayden pulled up on his motorbike, and Clark thundered in. The Fighting Squad warship and Tails' biplane landed, and then the rest of the Mobians came in. The Griskins floated in, and Dark Hog rolled in with the remainder of Team Scorpion. Finally, the Fairies arrived, bringing the Teensies, the Globoxes, and the Fighting Squad.

Shadow walked up beside Rayman. "Use the Earth Mask," he said. Rayman nodded, and placed his hands on the ground. Feeling the rock and soil was arranged below him, he drew on the Earth Mask and manipulated the earth, shifting the stone so that a section of the cliff collapsed into the ground, creating a ramp.

Rayman tossed the Mask to Raylina, then nodded to the other Heroes. The seven of them climbed the ramp, the rest remainng below.

At the top of the ramp, they could see ahead of them the collapsed pieces of the Tower of the Griskins. Crouched over them, wings spread across the ruins, was the huge, menacing form of Veurtoya. Seeing them, the black dragon raised his head and unleashed a mighty, intimidating roar.

A hundred metres from the Heroes was the wall of the translucent, pulsating dome which had kept the Dark God sealed away.

Standing at that wall, facing them, Master Emerald in the air beside him, was Dark Rayman.

"Too late, oh mighty Heroes," he taunted, voice magnified to carry over the distance. "Now, finally, I can join with my almighty master. After billions of years of being sealed away, finally I, his foremost servant, will release him. And he will rule you all. Your puny minds cannot comprehend the fathomless depth of his power. He could strike you down with a thought." He smiled. "But perhaps he will allow you to live as his pets."

Freeman quickly drew an RPG launcher and fired a laser-guided rocket at the shade. Dark Rayman stood and allowed it to hit his torso and explode, splattering his black substance across the ground. Bubbling, the black liquid sunk into the ground. For a moment, there was silence. Then pools of the same black liquid began to rise from the ground all around them. The Heroes stood back in a circle, weapons drawn, as hundreds of dark shapes took form from the liquid.

They rose into the form of Dark Rayman. Hundreds of Dark Raymans surrounded them, all laughing the same malicious laugh. It echoed and amplified as they marched inwards, zombie-like, towards the Heroes, becoming deafeningly loud as they cackled without cease. The Heroes defended themselves, and dozens of the shaded copies burst into small explosions of tar. But they just kept coming, until dark liquid was spattered across the Heroes' faces and they were driven, back to back, into a tight circle. Chief slung up his Assault Rifle and activated the split blades of a Sangheilli Energy Sword, and Freeman traded his AR2 for his crowbar. The seven of them fought desperately, the Dark Rayman copies closing in, still laughing mindlessly as they marched inwards.

And suddenly, when the seven Heroes were almost overwhelmed, they stopped. They ceased their slow, relentless walk and melted back into the ground. Rayman frowned in puzzlement, black smeared across his face, the other Heroes beside him. The single Dark Rayman was standing beside the Master Emerald again. He held his left hand, plam down, just above the Emerald's top.

"No!" Rayman yelled, stepping forward. The shade's eyes glinted, and he smiled. "Too late, Rayman. You know, I was crafted in your image. My master sought to recreate the species his sworn enemies kept in such high esteem. For he has been pitted against the Ancients since the dawn of time. Weak fools, they were, never siezing the power that was their right as supreme beings! They could easily have ruled the universe, but they chose not to. Through a love of what they called 'freedom'. All creatures must be free to choose their own path, they said. And look where their freedom got them. Sleeping forever, at the core of a useless rock. Are [i]they[/i] free? And still they meddle in my master's affairs. They trapped him here, but why? They have no reason to 'protect' the universe they abandoned thousands of millenia ago.

"I will tell you why they sealed my master away. Spite. The Ancients were jealous of his power, his creativity, his ideas. They hated him for no other reason than that he was [i]better[/i] than them."

Dark Rayman closed his right fist, his left hand just above the Emerald.

"Now it is time to return the favour."

He dropped his hand, placing his palm on the enormous jewel's green surface.

Sonic shot at him, but without hesitation he turned and punched the dome. A shock wave knocked the blue Hedgehog to the ground. From Dark Rayman's position at the base of the dome, massive cracks began to spread along the transparent surface, running over and around the dome. With a resounding crash, the dome of energy shattered into billions of tiny pieces, floating slowly to the ground.

Veurtoya lifted his head, atop the dragon's long neck, to the sky, and unleashed a great roar. The roar echoed across the entire valley, ringing with triumph. The black dragon launched himself into the sky with a flap of his wings, quickly closing the distance between him and Dark Rayman. He landed with a boom and throwing up huge clods of earth. Dark Rayman closed his eyes, spread his hands, and smiled. His purpose was fulfilled. Veurtoya lowered his head, which was as large as a small house, scooped Dark Rayman up in his teeth, and swallowed him, re-absorbing him into the God's mass. Even from a hundred metres away, Rayman could see the malice in the God's yellow eyes.

The Master Emerald floated towards the chest of Veuroya's dragon form. With a flash of power, the Dark God absorbed it into himself. Roaring one last time, he rose into the air and flew out over the vast lake nearby. Shadows poured into him from every direction as he gathered power, preparing for his vast war of conquest which was to encompass every living thing, every world, every reality.

Rayman turned to the Heroes. "Let's do this," he said.

"Time to step it up!"

"Affirmative."

"Let's-a go!"

"Yes!"

Link grunted his agreement.

Gordon simply nodded.

Each Hero produced his Chaos Emerald. Link the green, Mega Man the cyan, Mario the red, Freeman the yellow, Master Chief the white, Sonic the blue, and Rayman the purple. They stood in a cicle, facing inwards, and each held their Emerald forward. They began to spin, revolving in the circle, and picked up speed until the seven colours blurred together. There was a bright flash of white light, and the Emeralds disappeared.

Sonic had used the Emeralds to transform multiple beings on a few occasions. The first time had been with Shadow, to fight off Biolizard and prevent the Ark from crashing into Mobius. The second was with Tails and Knuckles, to defeat Metal Sonic. Most recently had been with Shadow and Silver the Hedgehog, to stop Solaris from consuming all of reality (although, technically, through one of the many peculiar perks of time travel, this event had never actually taken place).

Now, though, their were seven participants, rather than two or three.

The blade of Link's sword shone blindingly, as did the Triforce mark on the back of his hand, and his clothes turned gold. Mario's overalls turned white, his shirt golden. A white-gold, translucent sheen hovered around Master Chief's golden armour, the blue of his Energy Sword gone white. The orange parts of Freeman's suit were gold, while the black remained, and the Lambda symbol on his chest shone white. Mega Man simply turned gold.

Rising into the air, the seven Supers pursued Veurtoya.

The ensuing battle was one to be talked about for centuries to come.

The Mobians and Crossroads-dwellers gathered at the shore of the huge lake as the seven flew towards the rogue God, streaking brilliant gold against the black, clouded sky.

Veurtoya roared and turned towards them, flapping his wings.

The Dark God, created by the Black Lums, against seven Heroes chosen by the Gods.

They clashed.

They fought.

The might of their battle shook the valley. High above the lake the two almighty forces pitted against each other. On the surface, the battle appeared to be a physical one, with the God fighting with claws, teeth and black flames from his mouth, and the Heroes fighting with their own unique and hugely powered up abilities. But in reality the physical conflict was a simple representation of the far more fundamental power struggle happening beneath. A God should have been able to crush all seven without any real difficulty, but billions of years spent in an Ancient prison had left Veurtoya considerably weakened. Providing the Heroes with a perfect oppurtunity.

Super Link dodged a burning black fireball from Veurtoya's mouth, blocking another with his shield, and hit another away with his sword. Veurtoya twisted towards Link, surprisingly fluid and graceful for his immense size, and grabbed at the golden figure with a massive, black claw. Link dodged again, only just avoiding entrapment, drew his shining, white sword back, and chopped at the dragon's left foreleg. It sliced straight into the black scales, and Veurtoya roared in anger, grabbing at the Hylian with his right claw. This time he did not miss, taking Link in his grip. The Dark God lifted him to his mouth to consume him, but then a huge, orange-red fireball collided with the side of the dragon's head. He roared again and released Link as Super Mario flew past his head, casting another expanding vortex of fire at it. As the dragon chased after Mario, Link pointed the back of his hand at Veurtoya's foreleg, the Triforce mark imprinted on it glowing brightly.

[img].[/img]

Suddenly, the Triforce jumped off the back of his hand and became a physical object, growing to the size of a man and rotating as it flew forward, the shining golden triangles trapping the God's foreleg between them. Link shot after it and, faster than the eye could follow, sliced the claw of the foreleg over and over. Finishing the quick series of chops, he drew the Master Sword back and launched one final, powerful strike, smashing the Triforce like glass and badly injuring the claw.

Flying backwards and upwards so that he and Mario were on either side of the dragon's head, Link drew his bow and notched a shining Light Arrow to the string. As Mario unleashed another Finale Fireball, Link fired the arrow. The two projectiles hit the opposite sides of Veurtoya's head simultaneously, the arrow embedding itself in the black dragon's jaw. Again Veurtoya roared, spraying black flames at the two Supers. Mario flew above the flames, then shot downwards feet-first at Veurtoya's head. Landing on it as though it was a Goomba, he jumped up and down on it three times, then jumped higher, curled up his legs, and came down butt-first in a Super Ground Pound. Uncurling, he flew down the dragon's neck, weaving between the long spines. Grabbing one with both hands, he span around it once, planted his feet on Veurtoya's back, and tore the spine out, bringing a chunk of black flesh with it. As Veurtoya convulsed in pain, Mario used the blunt end of the spine to bludgeon him multiple times in the back, and then, sliding down his flank, drove it point-first into the God's side.

As he roared in rage and pain, Super Sonic flew at him like a bullet, curling into a golden, spiny ball and colliding with his chest. Uncurling, he ran straight up Veurtoya's chest and the underside of his neck, upside-down, leaping off when he reached the dragon's chin. Hovering upwards, he drew even with Veurtoya's yellow, reptilian eye. Then he curled up once again and thudded into the large eye, spinning as he did. Veurtoya screeched and batted the Hedgehog aside with his claw. His tail came around to try and impale Sonic, but a golden globe from Mega Man's arm cannon hit its tip. The tail twisted away and Super Mega Man flew along its length, shooting along the God's physical form. He flew up Veurtoya's back, shooting laser ball after laser ball into him, being very, very careful not to prick himself on the dragon's sharp spines. Landing on the back of Veurtoya's neck, just below the base of his head, he pointed his cannon straight down and began to charge a huge laser ball, growing at the end of the cannon. At point blank range, he fired, blasting into the thick neck. Mega Man jumped off and flew over the dragon's shoulder as he twisted to try and grab him.

Wielding his shining crowbar, Super Freeman flew facing upwards along Veurtoya's belly, smashing rapidly. As he reached the God's rear leg, he drew his Gravity Gun, which now glowed blue rather than orange, and fired a burst of blue zero-point lightning from it, hitting Veurtoya's left leg. He and Mega Man continued to fire at the God's belly, weaving and dodging to avoid his attacks.

Super Chief flew in, golden Energy Sword in hand, and plunged it into Veurtoya's flank. Flying upwards, he sliced the sword along with him, cutting through the dragon's thick skin as he moved. Then, reaching the joint of the wing to the body, he withdrew his glowing blade and flew up above the dragon's wings. He produced a white-and-gold Spartan Laser, aiming it squarely at Veurtoya. A flickering laser sight flashed from the barrel of the large gun as it began to hum. Then it reached full charge, and, with a rushing sound, a thick, red laser beam shot out of the UNSC weapon. It punched straight through Veurtoya's left wing and blasted into his back.

Veurtoya roared, frustrated at his apparent inability to deal with the Heroes, and folded his vast wings back to go into a dive straight down. He rushed downwards, the Heroes chasing after him. Super Rayman sped straight down towards the Dark God, flying at top speed, his helicopter hair allowing him to over take the other Heroes. Charging twin balls of energy in his hands as he rocketed aster the Dark God in accelerated freefall, he quickly caught up. Falling right beside the enormous black dragon, he combined the balls into one between his hands and tossed it straight into Veurtoya's gut. He roared and twisted as it exploded against him, lunging at Rayman. Rayman dodged and went in close, flying extremely near to the God's body as they dived. Coming to the neck, he grabbed onto one of the spines just as Veurtoya pulled out of the dive, just above the lake's surface and went soaring upwards. Clambering up the dragon's neck, Rayman pulled himself onto the top of his head, getting a grip behind one of the large scales. He pulled his fist back, shining like the sun, and slammed it into the back of Veurtoya's head. The Dark God roared, twisting in a vain attempt to throw him off. Again he struck with enormous force. Veurtoya screeched desperately, clawing at his neck as he flew. Again Rayman punched him, and then again, and again. Finally, as he plunged his fist into Veurtoya's skull once more, the great dragon went limp.

Rayman pushed away from his body, hovering aside. The Dark God floated there, seemingly lifeless. The seven Heroes formed a ring around his limp form, golden light illuminating it.

Super Sonic grinned. "He ain't so tough," he yelled to the other Supers, voice echoing across the lake. "That was easy!"

Rayman shook his head. "A God is not so easily killed," he said, frowning.

[i]Correct.[/i]

All of them heard the voice in their minds. They looked around for the source of the sound, but Rayman kept his eye on Veurtoya. The God had raised its head, eyes open.

[i]Yes, I see you, Chosen of the Ancients.[/i]

He was looking straight at Rayman.

[i]You and your so-called Heroes. You believe that you fight because you choose to do so, do you not? But the truth is, Rayman, this path was chosen for you, long before you even came into existence. Your friend, Doctor Freeman, knows this well. He has long known of the secret that steers him. And of the illusion of choice.[/i]

Gordon closed his eyes.

[i]All of you are pawns. Pawns of the Gods. Pawns of the Ancients. They control your destiny absolutely. No choice is truly yours. You serve only their grand designs, to be directed, and, if need be, sacrificed, as they see fit.

Rayman. Your Polokus, so-called Spirit of the World. You see him as a perfect being, a golden figure. But is his plan for you as pure as you think?

And Link, Hero of Time, Chosen by the Goddesses. To return to protect your land whenever you are required. Your Goddesses, Farore, Din and Nayru, do they allow you to rest? Even in death you can never be free. Your spirit is kept and recycled over and over, to be returned to life at even the slightest of mishaps. You are eternally bound to do their bidding.

Sonic, Mario, Mega Man, Master Chief. Your lives are just as controlled as the others, even if you don't yet know it. Never will your Gods allow you to stray from the path they have set out for you. Always, always you do their bidding.

What I offer you now is a chance at true freedom. I am no unreasonable. Release me and I will destroy the Gods who restrict you so. I will allow you to live, truly live, as you see fit.

:And you get the rest of the universe, I suppose?" Rayman yelled.

[i]The other Gods will have no need of it when I am through with them.[/i]

"And what do you think of this offer, guys?" he asked the other Heroes, smiling.

Link notched a Light Arrow to his bow, aiming at Veurtoya. Mario held a fireball in his hands. Chief took aim down the barrel of his Spartan Laser. Freeman did the same with his Gravity Gun.

"I think that's your answer, Your Divinity," Rayman said.

The dragon's eyes narrowed. [i]So be it. You were warned.[/i]

"Hah!" Sonic scoffed. "Warned against what!? We already kicked your butt."

Rayman thought he saw the hint of a smile in the rogue God's dragon mouth. [i]Fools. I am far from defeated.[/i]

And with that, he became a massive spider, black and red, crawling through the air and spinning silk to entrap the Heroes. Then he was a many-tentacled monster, tendrils writhing and grabbing. Then he was a huge version of Dark Rayman, laughing as he cast dark energy against them. He changed form many times, the Heroes struggling to keep up.

And then, he became shadow, pure darkness. Shifting, indeterminate, implacable, like a dark gas, the shadows that were Veurtoya surrounded the golden Heroes, attempting to blot out their light. They used all of their power to resist, pouring golden energy into the darkness, their faces bent in concentration. For minutes the light fought the shadow, locked together in a phenomenal power struggle.

The Heroes would have stood a chance of winning, if not for what occurred next.

Without warning, a white-blue beam of light struck Super Sonic in the back. His eyes widened and his mouth opened in shock as he lost his golden colouration and returned to his normal form. Losing his ability to fly, he instantly began to fall. But Veurtoya's shadows snatched him out of the air and rapidly began to cocoon him. With his last glimpse of light, he saw a huge red, black and yellow cruiser-type aircraft travelling towards them, firing more beams.

As the Shadows obscured his face, Sonic had time for one last, gasped word: "Eggman!"

The Heroes were thrown into confusion as similar beams snuffed out their light, one by one. Super Rayman watched in horror as Veurtoya absorbed each one into his shadowy mass, then turned to him.

He flew away, fast as he could, dodging the beams coming from the Egg Carrier as Veurtoya pursued him with tendrils of darkness. Flying just above the surface of the lake, the lasers thudded into the water as he wove around them, desperately trying to reach the shore. He was almost there...

A blue-white beam shot into him, scattering the seven Emeralds from his body, which Veurtoya was quick to retrieve. His momentum carried him to the shore, where he hit the sand hard and skidded and rolled to a stop. "Raylina!" he gasped, spitting out sand. She ran to him from the others, eyes wide with concern and terror. Quickly, Rayman untied the red kerchief from around his would-be neck, eyeing the rapidly advancing shadows. "Take this," he said, handing it up to Raylina, looking her gravely in the eye.

"You are the Chosen One now. I love..."

And then a tendril of darkness snatched him away.

"Dad!" Raylina screamed. No!"

But there was nothing she could do.

Aboard the Egg Carrier, Land of the Livid Dead

Mr. Dark was alive.

Alive and imprisoned.

He was hanging in Anti-Parapsychological Activity chains on the bridge of Eggman's flagship, watching in horror as the scientist doomed all of creation. "No! You madman!" he yelled. Eggman turned away from the console, looking straight at Dark.

"We'll see just who is a madman when Veurtoya bows to my will!" he cackled in a decidedly insane tone. His face was still covered in blood, and his glasses were missing, revealing his wild eyes. He certainly had the look of a madman.

"You think a God will obey you just because you tell him to?" Dark screamed desperately. "Veurtoya will tear you to shreds!"

"No! He will not! For I am Doctor Ivo Robotnik, rightful ruler of the world, and he will heed my words!"

Applying what equates to a parking brake, Eggman left the Egg Carrier to hover in the air and stepped onto a small elevator, taking him to the roof of the fantastic ship. The wind blew through his hair as he gazed upon the seething, black chaos that was Veurtoya.

"Oh, almighty Veurtoya, Dark God and Lord of Shadow!" he proclaimed, voice magnified a thousand fold by the huge speakers aboard the Egg Carrier. "Hear my words, and obey! I order you to do as I command! My will is your will, ad you shall ob..."

He was still ranting and raving when a tentacle of shadow snatched him from the Egg Carrier's roof.

Shadow materialised on the bridge of the Egg Carrier, bringing Raylina and Ly with him. Looking around for Eggman, his eyes found the chained Mr. Dark. "You!" he said, rage burning in his voice. "You're meant to be dead! You deserve to be dead! Do you realise what you've done?"

He pointed out the bridge windshield, at the gathering shadows. "Not only have you allowed a being with the power and the wish to enslave us all escape, you have killed the only seven people who would have given this Universe any hope!"

Dark's eyes were on the ground as he shook his head. "There are other Heroes, dozens of them. These are just the five that answered Rayman and Sonic's call."

Raylina grabbed Shadow's arm as he moved to strike Dark. "He didn't do it, Shadow. It was Eggman."

"Nevertheless, he caused all of this in the first place! He brought Eggman to this planet. This is all his fault."

Suddenly, Rayden, Sharkin and Gripnos appeared on the bridge, Rayden pocketing the Earth Mask he had used to warp them up. "What is going o..." he trailed off as his eyes fell upon Mr. Dark, and narrowed dangerously, an old rage entering them. "You," he said quietly. Drawing Romeo from its holster, he walked over to the heavily bound sorcerer. Dark bowed his head head as Rayden put the gun against it.

"I could put a bullet in your brain right now," he said in a dangerous voice. "I should put a bullet in your brain. For the things you've done... all those years ago..." Raylina watched anxiously as his face twitched, and his finger tightened on the trigger.

"For what you did to her."

Dark closed his eyes.

"No-one would mourn my passing. Do it."

He waited for the bullet to come, knowing he deserved it.

Rayden snarled, then in one fluid movement flipped the handgun over, caught it by the barrel and struck Dark across the head with the butt. The wide-brimmed hat flew off, and his head exploded with pain. He would have fallen to the ground, but the chains held him where he was. Barely conscious, he heard Rayden's words.

"I should kill you," he said as he turned away, holstering the pistol. "But that would make me just as bad as you."

As he walked away, he looked back at the pathetic-looking sorcerer. "Didn't you used to wear dark blue?" he said, his eyes running up and down Dark's body. "I think this black suits you better." He turned away again. "It matches your soul."

Raylina looked at Mr. Dark with a mixture of sadness and amazement. This was the first time she had ever seen his face, revealed by the loss of his hat. It was extremely pale, almost paper-white. His hair was short, and, of course, black. His eyes no longer glowed yellow, as that had been an illusory spell attached to his hat. They were filled with sadness and regret. But the most prominent feature on his pale face was the horrid old scar, slashing diagonally across his face and nose from edge to edge. He was a pathetic sight, hanging in chains, blood leaking from where Rayden had struck him.

Despite all he had done, she pitied him.

"So now what do we do?" Gripnos asked, looking out at Veurtoya's spreading darkness.

"There's nothing we can do," said Shadow, arms folded, head bowed. "We can't fight that thing."

"You can't."

Everyone turned to Mr. Dark.

"But there are others who can."

Shadow sneered at him and turned away, But Raylina's brow creased. "Who could possibly fight a God?" she asked no-one in particular.

"Another God," Ly replied out loud.

"Of course!" Raylina exclaimed. "Polokus can..."

"No," Dark interrupted. "One of the rules set by the Ancients is that a God cannot interfere with another's work. It is written in the Spirit of the World's very nature to not be able to attack Veurtoya."

"Stop talking in riddles, sorcerer!" Shadow nearly yelled in frustration. "If the Gods are restricted by the Ancients laws..."

"We find one who can break them," Rayden realised.

"A rogue God, like Veurtoya," Ly continued.

"But where are we supposed to find one?"

Once again, all heads turned to Mr. Dark. Despite the fact that all of them were ironically in the palm of his hand, he didn't look at all smug. Only sorrowful that it was necessary.

"Each of the rogue Gods were bound in some way or another during the Age of Creation. Veurtoya was sealed in the centre of the Land of the Livid Dead, beneath the very site where the Teensie Empire built its mighty stronghold many years later. Solaris was bound to serve as a patron deity to those who lived in the Mobius nation of Solleanna. Gaia of Mobius was split into Dark and Light halves and doomed forever to enter conflict against itself. The rogue God bound to Earth was given the task of protecting dead human souls..."

"Get to the point," said Rayden, with very little patience for the lessons of his old enemy.

"And there is one rogue God, on this planet, who was bound to a Sceptre, to obey any of sufficient strength of will who holds it."

Rayden drew a sharp intake of breath. "Of course... the Leptys..."

Mr. Dark nodded. "The Knaaren, up until nineteen years ago, held the Sceptre for many millennia. As of course you well know, Rayden."

"But Rayman destroyed the Leptys nineteen years ago," said Ly, puzzled. The mention of her father brought a pang of sorrow to Raylina's chest, an a pang to Ly's heart at the mention of her seventeen-year love. "Along with Reflux the Knaaren."

Dark shook his head. "No. He only destroyed the Sceptre, or at least its physical form. The Leptys is still very much alive, well, and bound to the Sceptre in spirit."

"And how do we call upon the Leptys without the Sceptre?" Shadow asked, derisive on the surface, but a spark of hope creeping into his voice.

"We retrieve it, before it was destroyed."

"What, nineteen years ago?" Raylina asked, incredulous, but then realised. "Oh."

Dark smiled, revealing his perfect teeth. "Yes. Using Chaos Control to travel back to before it was destroyed, and bringing it back here."

Shadow looked up. "That's madness. There's no telling what we could change!"

"Madness? This is not madness. This is the Crossroads of Dreams. Anything is possible," Raylina said, smiling despite the tears streaming down her face.

"But haven't you noticed how convenient this is for Dark?" He's the only one who knows the correct time , so only he can make the portal. We're playing right into his hands. He could take us anywhere, at anytime!"

"Do you see any other way?" Dark asked, eyes meeting with Shadow's.

Raylina looked at Shadow, his eyes still on Dark. "I don't think we have a choice, Shadow."

"But he could have any motive for this. It could be a trap..."

Rayden slapped a new clip into Tybalt. "I don't like doing what this son of a bitch says either, but the way I see it, we're fucked anyway."

Shadow breathed out, then nodded.

"Okay."

Raylina found the button to release Dark, and pressed it. The chains fell to the floor with a resounding clang, and Dark stepped out of them. He replaced his hat, eyes resuming their normal glow. Then he and Shadow stood facing each other, and Raylina handed him the Air Mask. Both uttered "Chaos Control!", raising their respective Masks. A swirling time portal appeared behind them. As soon as it opened, Shadow swiped the Air Mask from Dark's hands. "So you can't bail on us," he explained, tossing it to Ly.

Rayden turned to Sharkin and Gripnos. "I want you two to stay here and get everyone aboard this ship, then fly it to the edge of the valley." He glanced at the spreading darkness at the centre of the lake. "You might not have much time."

"There is still much time," said Dark. "Veurtoya's lust for vengeance and his belief that he is unassailable are his greatest weaknesses. He will take his time...digesting...them, to make it as painful as possible for those who defied him. He will not attack until he is finished, which could be some time, hours. He does not see you as a threat, so escape will not be difficult."

Team Scorpion performed their ritual, and Sharkin and Gripnos turned to the ship's controls. Shadow was first through the portal, then Rayden. Raylina and Ly took a moment alone to mourn for Rayman, eyes tear-filled. Then they jumped in.

Mr. Dark followed, looking out the window at Veurtoya one last time, before allowing the time portal to swallow him.

ANOMALY SCANNED

Conclusion: Chaos Control Time Portal

Destination: 2 Years ADR (19 years before current time), Summit Beyond the Clouds

Course of action: Follow

But then, running quickly across the floor of the bridge, appeared a silver, Limbless robot. Too fast for Sharkin or Gripnos to stop, Metal Rayman leapt into the portal just as it closed.


	2. Chapter 24: Dark Cloud

Chapter 24: Dark Cloud

**Tower of the Leptys, in flight above the Summit Beyond the Clouds, Nineteen Years Ago**

Above the white-coated peak that hid the Hoodlum Headquarters, a dark bank of clouds boiled forwards. The clouds spread slowly but surel towards the mountain's summit, stretching thousands of metres into the sky above it.

Within the enormous cloud lurked a presence.

As the cloud bank slowed to a halt just above the peak of the icy mountain, the angry clouds began to disperse, shrinking away from the immense object in their midst. As the clouds retreated, a dark shape became apparent, protruding thousands of metres straight into the air. Wide at the base and tapering to a spiked top, it hovered above the Hoodlum base, driven by some mysterious, extremely powerful engine.

It was a Tower.

The Tower of the Leptys.

Inside Hoodlum Headquarters, a pleasantly sensual female voice stated over the loudspeaker: "The Leptys has arrived." As though anyone needed reminding. Upon the Tower's arrival, organised chaos had taken hold. The Hoodlums were desperately trying to organise themselves according to Andre's plan, with limited success. Andre had summoned the Leptys here, not realising how much effort it would take to transfer his not inconsiderable army into the enormous Tower. And now Rayman had become a large and rather damaging spanner in the works, fighting his way through the Hoodlum Army in an effort to stop Andre and Reflux, and rescue Globox, who Andre had taken captive. He was drawing dangerously close to the Horrible Machine...

A stream of Hoodlum aircraft flew back and forth between the various points on the Tower and the Summit, airlifting as many of Andre's valuable soldiers onto the magnificent, dark structure as possible. Before long there were hundreds of Black Lums at Andre's command in the Tower.

In a quiet, isolated section of the Leptys Tower, the air itself opened up into a small time portal. Three Limbless, a Hedgehog, and a fairy emerged from its swirling depths, landing on the stone floor of a balcony. The mismatched group gazed in awe at their surroundings, speechless. From their position two thirds up the Tower's height, they had a spectacular view of the white mountain range below, the ocean that bordered them, and the Tower itself, floating on a small bed of clouds, all perfectly sharp in the beautifully clean air. A cool wind blew across them, stirring their hair. They could also see the swarms of Hoodlums landing on the Tower. They had to duck quickly out of sight as a balloon-ship ascended past their balcony, carrying a contingent of Hoodmongers, an odd two-armed Black Lum and a huge Knaaren warrior, staff in hand.

As the balloon-ship disappeared above them, Shadow stood. "Well, you haven't killed us, Dark. Are we in the right place?" he asked Ly. She nodded, sadness eclipsing her awe at the grand Tower.

"So what now?" Rayden reluctantly asked Mr. Dark, still disgusted at having to associate with the sorcerer.

"Now, we must wait. It will be several hours before our chance..."

Before he could finish, the time portal convulsed and gave up one final passenger, before shrinking and closing. The metallic figure hit the ground and rolled with a clang of metal against stone, and the eyes of the five allies widened in astonishment as Metal Rayman stood before them.

The robotic Limbless rapidly ran a scan of the five of them, drawing up files for each.

* * *

Subject Name: Mr. Dark

Species: Ray (Limbless Variant)

Known Abilities: Powerful sorcerous abilities. True extents unknown.

Affiliation: Previously Dr. Eggman, now assumed to be Fairy Council

Status: Dangerous

* * *

Subject Name: Shadow

Species: Hedgehog (Mobian Variant)

Known Abilities: Proficient in all Chaos Control powers.

Affiliation: Fairy Council

Known Family: Maria Robotnik (Human, adoptive sister, deceased), Gerald Robotnik (Human, creator, deceased), Black Doom (Black Arm, genetic contributor, presumed deceased)

Status: Dangerous

* * *

Subject Name: Unknown

Species: Ray (Limbless Variant)

Known Abilities: Standard Silver Lum-induced Ray Powers (presumed)

Status: Apparently Dangerous

Affiliation: Presumably Fairy Council

* * *

Subject Name: Ly

Species: Fairy

Known Abilities: Production of Silver Lums, telepathic powers, certain energy-based "magical" powers

Affiliation: Fairy Council

Known Family: Rayman (Ray, partner, deceased), Raylina (Ray, daughter)

Status: Potentially Dangerous

* * *

Subject Name: Raylina

Species: Ray (Limbless Variant) with fairy heritage)

Known Abilities: Standard Silver Lum-induced Ray powers, telepathic powers

Affiliation: Fairy Council

Known Family: Ly (Fairy, mother), Rayman (Ray, father, deceased)

Status: Potentially Dangerous

* * *

Faced by five beings with "Dangerous" in their status, Metal Rayman's high-performance CPU mind instantly arrived at an appropriate conclusion.

Suggested Course of Action: Retreat.

Metal Rayman turned and ran before any of them could react. Mr. Dark tossed nets of sorcerous power to entrap it, but Metal Rayman dodged and weaved and rolled, easily avoiding them. Rayden fired short, controlled bursts at the robot's head, but they zinged off in strange directions, deterred by an electro-magnetic field.

The false Ray was running towards the inner wall of the large balcony, towards the entrance of the black stone tower. A flash of blue light and Shadow was in its way. With reflexes only a machine could achieve, Metal Rayman somersaulted over Shadow's head. The Hedgehog quickly span and swept Metal Rayman's feet out from under it, but it span sideways in the air, caught Shadow by the throat, and slammed him into the ground on its other side as it span. Flipping over the Hedgehog, Metal Rayman leapt straight upwards, guided by air-jets in hands and feet, and grabbed hold of the Tower's outer walls. Using a set of electromagnets in its hands to cling to the sheer rock-and-metal walls of the floating behemoth, Metal Rayman rapidly scaled the Tower. Rayden sprayed bullets at the retreating silver form, and Raylina tossed energy balls at it, but it was too quick. Mr. Dark summoned a bolt of lightning from the dark clouds above, striking like a white hot lance against the side of the Tower. But instead of hitting the highly conductive robot, the lightning was attracted to a gargoyle-like statue of metal nearby. Raylina clamped her hands over her ears as the thunderclap rolled over them, deafeningly loud. She didn't hear Dark yell "No!" as the metal statue separated from the side of the Tower and plummeted downwards. Straight towards Raylina.

With a burst of speed, the sorcerer ran towards her and shoved her out of the way. She sprawled to the ground, and looked up in shock to see Dark standing in her place, hands in the air, the huge, red-hot gargoyle floating in the air above him, suspended by his sorcerous power. They watched as he let it thump to the ground beside him. Still shocked by how close she had come to death, Raylina gasped "You... saved me,"

"You are the Chosen One," he said, head bowed. "You must not die."

Ly went to help Raylina up, but she quickly regained her own feet. "The machine has gone," Ly said softly, gazing at where Metal Rayman had been. "What was that thing?" Shadow demanded, red eyes boring into Mr. Dark as he returned to his feet. "It looks like something Eggman would build."

"Yes, he did. A fighting robot he built to look like Rayman," Dark answered, shaking his head. "It has extremely advanced programming and can make its own decisions, within certain parameters. It must have decided that following us through the portal would be of benefit to its master, namely Eggman."

"How do we know you didn't order it to follow us?" Rayden asked suspiciously.

"I guess you don't," Dark looked Rayden in the eye from the shadows beneath his hat.

"That's reassuring. With your track history, that robot is probably taking the Sceptre for you right now."

Dark bowed his head once again.

Rayden sneered, open contempt on his face. "This is a change for you. Back in the day you would have struck me down with a fireball or a giant rock or something just for insulting you. What's the matter, Dark? Gone soft?"

The absolute malice in his voice was tangible.

Raylina couldn't take this. "Rayden, please. We have to keep working together."

Rage burned in Rayden's gaze. "You have no idea of the atrocities this man has committed. He is less than scum. He deserves..."

"Stop."

Mr. Dark's voice still carried the edge of command.

"Yes, Rayden, I have committed atrocities. Horrid things that burn in my mind every day, every minute. Do you think I am proud of the monstrosities, the genocides, the murder? My life has brought nought but death, my hands covered in the blood of hundreds, thousands."

He closed his eyes, and Raylina could have sworn a tear dropped from the shadows of his face. "I don't expect you to forgive me for the suffering you have endured at my hands, Rayden. In fact, once our task here is complete, I will happily submit to whatever punishment you prescribe. But until then, we must remain united. We have to do this, or else our world, every world, is doomed to eternal servitude."

Rayden shook his head, turning away. "Quite an act," he said as he walked to the railing at the edge of the balcony, but Raylina could tell he would cause no further trouble.

Before anyone could ask what came next, their attention was drawn to the mountain below by a series of loud rumbling noises from _within_ the snow-clad peak. As the five of them rushed to the balcony's edge to see what was going on, an entire section of snow, ice and rock close to the mountain's top blew away, a spectacular jet of steam rushing out. The red hot glow of fresh magma could be glimpsed behind the chaotic out pouring. Rock and ice flew in every direction, tonnes of the stuff thundering down the side of the mountain.

Then, as a huge Hoodlum machine gave up its valiant wrestling match with the awesome forces of the earth itself, a second explosion rocked the mountain, the pressure blowing straight upwards through the new hole. The hot air rushed upwards with staggering force, taking with it hundreds of free-flying Black Lums. The tiny black dots scattered against the backdrop of the huge peak, but the air carried one final passenger.

Rayman himself rode upwards with the massive thermal updraft, flailing wildly as he tried to take control of his flight. Propelled from deep within the mountain itself, his ascent began to slow as the hot air cooled rapidly in the brisk mountain environment. Without warning, the winds deposited him at the Tower's base, landing, as if by a miracle, unhurt.

Mr. Dark withdrew from the balcony's edge, the others still gazing in awe at the spectacle Rayman had caused. "History in the making," the sorcerer remarked.

* * *

Andre the Black Lum hovered alongside the huge Knaaren warrior, cursing his rotten luck. When Rayman had destroyed the Horrible Machine, Andre had had no choice but to flood the lower levels of the Headquarters with lava, in a desperate final bid to kill the Limbless rat. Hundreds of his loyal Hoodlum soldiers had been destroyed, and yet Rayman remained alive, as if by the devil's own luck! Not only that, but reports were beginning to filter through from the Tower's lower levels that Rayman was inside and battling his way upwards! The damn creature just didn't die. Andre had abandoned thousands of his troops inside the mountain to die, while he himself escaped. Normally that wouldn't have bothered him (survivor's guilt was not a prominent feature in a Black Lum's emotions), but now he was in unknown and potentially hostile territory with a vastly diminished military force. Bloody Ray...

Andre calmed himself. He had enough of an army left to serve his purposes, and those he had lost would be replenished a thousand times over once he had invoked the Leptys. Yes.... then everything would be right. Rayman would be dead, and Andre would have the world at his fingers.

Andre frowned. The Tower was moving again. Where too...? It was floating east... odd. The Leptys appeared to be directing it in the general direction of the Fairy Glade.

Andre snapped at Reflux. "How long until we can unite with the Leptys?"

Reflux stood over the blocky Sceptre of the Leptys, hands hovering over the glowing sphere at the top. "The Bringer of Night prepares himself even now."

He looked up at the clouds gathering above them, greed and lust for revenge bathing his reptilian face. "Soon. Very soon."

* * *

The five time-travellers had entered the Tower proper, hoping to find a way to the top floor, where Dark said the Sceptre would be. Raylina gazed in awe at the supremely magnificent interior, constructed in ages past by race or races unknown.

They were inside a wide, echoing chamber, seemingly consisting of white marble. The floor was flat, but the roof swirled and dipped like waves on the ocean tipped upside-down. Along the floor of the chamber were row after row of odd, two-man aircraft. They were sleek at first glance, but their hulls were patched with scrap metal and strange odds and ends. The small ships' open cockpits contained a joystick with two buttons for controls, with a gun emplacement at each craft's rear. Some sort of small propulsion jets were attached to the ships via protruding fins.

It was a hangar.

Mr. Dark cocked his head sideways. "Odd... these craft are similar to ancient Ray designs, but curiously modified..."

"Will they fly?" asked Raylina, inspecting the inside of the nearest one.

"They appear to be intact, but who knows how old they actually are?"

"Only one way to find out," she muttered, climbing into the pilot's chair.

Immediately, she noticed that the interior was designed for a creature far larger than herself. The seat was wide, the joystick large enough to fill a Knaaren's claw. But the rear gunner's position, on the other hand, was the perfect size for a Ray. Very odd.

Raylina found a large switch on the craft's dashboard. Blowing the dust away, she flicked it across, and immediately the ship began to hum, the perfectly preserved engineering coming to life. It rose slightly into the air, held in place by some sort of anti-gravity. Raylina smiled, gripping the ill-fitting joystick. She gently pushed forwards, and the ship obligingly hovered forwards a couple of metres. Using a second, smaller stick, she pointed the craft's nose upwards and pushed forward harder. The Leptys shuttle shot upwards diagonally, the engines making an odd, high-pitched whistling noise as they propelled it. She released the joystick and the craft immediately halted, floating stationary above the others. She smiled. "I like this thing." Using both joysticks, she intuitively piloted the craft, swooping and turning, ignoring the interior's inconvenient proportions. She turned upside-down, and was astonished to find that she didn't fall out, held in the seat by some invisible force. The blood didn't even rush to her head. She righted it and guided it in to land beside the others. "Anyone for a ride?" she asked, grinning.

Shadow climbed into the gunner's chair, test-firing the turret at the roof. A green stream of plasma shot out of the square gun with a high-pitched sound, leaving a dark singe on the marble ceiling. Turning it on a nearby lifeless shuttle, Shadow swept the weapon across the other craft's bow. It withstood the assault for just over a second, before the hull buckled and collapsed, both melted by the heat and imploded by the force.

Ly took the wheel of her own shuttle, being better fitted for the large chair, while Rayden took the turret. Mr. Dark took a shuttle for himself.

As the three aircraft lifted off, Raylina spoke to Shadow: "I think this thing deserves a name."

Shadow looked back at her. "What do you propose?"

She smiled sadly. "How about the _Rayman_?"

* * *

Metal Rayman ascended the Tower of the Leptys rapidly; his detailed files of Hoodlum fighting styles and weaknesses allowing it to annihilate anything in its way. Despite this, the machine was as stealthy as possible, eliminating only those who posed an obstacle.

The grandiose surroundings of the Tower had no effect on the robot, the magnificently ambitious architecture of two ancient civilizations combined into something beautiful and fantastic. Metal Rayman took no notice of these things, single-mindedly seeking out the Sceptre at the Tower's summit.

Lurking in the shadows amongst a row of pillars, Metal Rayman picked up a rock and tossed it with outstanding force and accuracy. The projectile clanged against a metal patch on the far side of the corridor, the sound echoing up to the high ceiling. The five nervous white-and-orange clad Hoodlum Officers at the corridor's end trained their rifles on what they thought was the source of the noise, but it resonated around the dark corridor, eluding location. As they glanced around warily, Metal Rayman dropped behind them, a blade of orange energy appearing in the robot's hand.

Four Hoodlums span around as a glowing blade emerged from their comrade's chest. Swift and precise, Metal Rayman sliced two in half, kicked one to the ground, stabbed one through the face, and finished off the one on the ground, all in one fluid motion. The android moved on without glancing back. It climbed through a series of short staircases and corridors, the walls consisting of brown stone. It walked past a pair of entwined Knaaren busts, not pausing to notice the cultural significance of such a statue. Ascending the final staircase, Metal Rayman found itself on the very top of the Tower.

Above, clouds swirled in the brown-red sky as the rogue God prepared to obey Andre's commands. The Leptys did not, in fact, require so much time or such dramatic methods to ready itself. The strictures of the Sceptre required the God to obey any who could command the mystical artefact, a task which in itself required a powerful force of will. But it also allowed the Leptys to take advantage of one or two loopholes. Reflux, being a Knaaren, was highly reverent of his species patron deity and would never dream of commanding it to hurry up. The desert warrior had ordered the Leptys to begin creating tens of thousands of Black Lums, and to empower him, but never specified the speed at which this should be accomplished. As the God did not exactly approve of Reflux's intentions, it was able to crawl along at a divine snail's pace, allowing Rayman as much time as it could to stop them. The Leptys may have been created by the Black Lums, but it did not owe them any servitude as far as it saw.

In the centre of the roof was the enormous Reflux, bent over the glowing orb of the Sceptre of the Leptys, a two-armed Black Lum hovering beside him.

Metal Rayman wasted no time in charging forward, leaping into the air, and stabbing straight at Reflux's neck.

The android's analysis of the situation, although unable to provide detailed files, had determined that Reflux must be neutralised before the Sceptre could be taken, and made an estimation of the most efficient method of doing so.

But the robot had never encountered a Knaaren before.

As it landed on Reflux's back, attempting to drive its energy blade into his neck, a round, translucent, luminescent barrier consisting of concentric blue-and-pink circles appeared between them. Metal Rayman was tossed aside, landing hard on the stone surface.

Reflux turned towards the fallen android. "Never try to sneak up on a Knaaren, little [i]machine.[/i]" He spat the last word like a curse.

"What the hell?" Andre burst out, zipping around Metal Rayman's seemingly lifeless body. "Is this [i]Rayman[/i]? He got up here pretty quickly! What is this, some sort of armour...?"

"No," Reflux spoke in his deep, gravelly voice, sniffing the air. "I would know that sewer runt's scent anywhere. This is not Rayman. This machine fills my nostrils with its foul, metallic stench."

"Whatever it is, it sure..."

Whatever the Black Lum had been about to say remained unfinished when Metal Rayman sprang to his feet and back-handed the obnoxious Lum away. Twin jets of flame poured from its hands at Reflux. The warrior casually pointed his staff at the fire, and the flames were absorbed into its tip, swirling inwards like a whirlpool. When Metal Rayman stopped, Reflux tossed the flames right back at it all at the same time in an intense jet.

Metal Rayman rolled out of the way, the barrel of a weapon unfolding from its chest. A high-calibre bullet blasted at Reflux, who blocked it with his Knaaren shield. Metal Rayman pointed its hand at the shield and a spiked tazer-head shot from its palm, trailing a thin cable and embedding itself in the shield's centre. Electricity flowed through the cable, stemming from the hand's internal, very efficient, self-charging battery and coursing into the Knaaren's shield. The outer concentric ring of the shield disappeared with a clunking noise, followed by the next. Quickly realising this weakness, Reflux allowed the shield to disappear and crushed the tazer-head beneath his foot. Metal Rayman raised both hands and a barrage of pulse rounds flashed at Reflux. Charging forward, he deflected many of them with his staff, the rest bouncing off his thick Knaaren hide. The android leapt into the air, somersaulting over Reflux's head and landing beside the glowing Sceptre. Swiftly analysing the artefact, it concluded that the large sphere at its top was in fact the source of energy. Blasting the blocky, stone base out from under it, the machine hefted the Sceptre and made a break for the stairs...

Only to have flames burst upwards around it as Reflux cast his power. The robot's central computer rapidly overheated, and, to counter this, promptly shut down.

_Maximum heat tolerance exceeded. Primary systems shutting down._

Reflux stepped over the singed body of the deactivated android, silently thanking the mysterious sorcerer who had granted him mastery over flame, retrieving the Sceptre sphere before it rolled off the edge. "So that this doesn't happen again," he growled, lifting the sphere to his staff's tip. With a red glow, the sphere melded into the staff's end, becoming a part of it and effectively making the staff the Sceptre of the Leptys. "As for you..." Reflux briefly wondered what this Rayman look-alike was doing here, then decided it didn't matter. He kicked the android's metal body off the edge of the tower roof, to plummet to the ground several kilometres below, the separate parts held together by the still-active magnetic field.

Andre buzzed up beside him, cackling. "Good job, Reflux! Just don't get big-headed. Oh, too late!" He continued cackling at his own joke.

Reflux felt a flare of annoyance for the insect he had chosen as an ally. When Andre had appeared to him in the desert tunnels, while he was in a depressed, drunken stupor, Rayman's bruises still sore, the Lum's promises of revenge had seemed an extremely tempting prospect. But now that he was sober, he began to regret throwing his lot in with the Black Lum hovering beside him.

Still, Reflux had never been hungry for his own command, so someone needed to give the orders. First it had been Fuuhg Naareln, ambitious Knaaren Chieffather of a powerful clan. He had been dealt with long ago. Then it was King Gumsi, self-appointed (with some help from Reflux) child-king of the Knaaren. Stealing the Sceptre from that fool had been a simple matter. Now it was Andre, commander of the Black Lums, if only because he was the only one displaying anything vaguely resembling higher cognitive function. Each time, Reflux had betrayed his commander for one more powerful. Perhaps this could happen again with Andre...

Reflux smiled. Perhaps, soon, he could take his orders directly from the God of his people. If he could rid himself of Andre, he could become a true disciple of the Leptys.

* * *

The three Leptys shuttles, christened the _Rayman_, the _Raylara_, and the _Redemption,_ flew swiftly through the Tower of the Leptys' vast inner structure. Huge spoked wheels and cogs dozens of metres wide rotated around them, the components of some unfathomable engine, a soft green light illuminating the astounding architecture.

Raylina, piloting the _Rayman_, found it strangely ironic that she was in a craft named after her deceased father who was actually currently alive and climbing the very same Tower they were.

She shook her head. _Best not to think about these things._

Suddenly, though, an unexpected movement caught her eye. "Dark! Do a barrel roll!"

Mr. Dark's _Redemption_ span laterally out of the way as a missile passed within inches of its bow. The heatseeker came back around to follow him, but Rayden in the _Raylara _blasted it apart with a burst of green plasma.

Raylara's eyes widened as a swarm of similar Leptys shuttles poured from another hangar in front of them, embedded in the side of the enormous tunnel, for wont of a better word. There was, however, one major difference: these aircraft were piloted by Hoodlums.

"Controls so simple even Hoodlums can use them," Raylina muttered. "Great. Hold on!" she yelled to Shadow in the gunner's seat as she commenced evasive manoeuvres. The Hoodlum shuttles threw everything they had at the three rogue craft. Dozens of them swept forwards, several of them crashing into the spokes of an enormous wheel out of sheer lack of skill.

They dropped bombs and missiles at the three craft, more often hitting each other. But still a deadly rain fell around the time travellers, small explosions going off all around them and buffeting their ships backwards and forwards as they weaved among the Hoodlum shuttles in a lopsided dogfight. Rayden and Shadow defended their fighters from the rear, shooting down the enemy ships with streams of green plasma, as Dark cast a defensive barrier around his fighter, trying to do the same for the others as he rolled and dived.

Ly managed to break clear of the cloud, loosing a single missile back at them as she swung around to cover Dark and Raylina's craft while they followed. Raylina signalled for Mr. Dark to take point so that Shadow and Rayden could cover their rears, and they streaked away through the enormous chambers, a cloud of enemy fighters pursuing them. They blasted past gloriously huge machines and structures, past miraculous feats of engineering and architecture, all the time battling for their lives. Blue bomb-orbs fell from the Hoodlum crafts' underbellies when they drew close enough, in the most part deflected by Dark's spells or cut down by Shadow and Rayden's fire. But one or two got through, causing damage to the hulls of their ships.

One Hoodlum accelerated at full speed, able to catch up to the time travellers' craft because of the lightweight nature of a Hoodlum's body and the fact that there was only one aboard. On an outright, kamikaze run, the Hoodlum piloted the shuttle straight through Mr. Dark's defences to smash into the [i]Raylara.[/i] The two craft crumpled together, Rayden jumping clear just in time to avoid being crushed. He fell through the air and grabbed hold of the tail fin of another shuttle with one hand. The aircraft tipped sideways, and the Hoodlum pilot swung the shuttle left and right in an effort to throw the uninvited passenger off. Rayden swung himself up onto the fighter's rear, drew Romeo and put a bullet in the back of the Hoodlum's head. Lifting the cloth body out of the pilot's chair, he took control of the craft. Meanwhile, Ly was spiralling out of control, smoke pouring from the shuttle's rear, the crash having thrown her engines into the red zone. As she wrestled with the shuttle's controls the [i]Rayman[/i]plunged after her, Raylina desperately trying to help her mother. Ly gave up on the ship and prepared to make the leap to Raylina's, but a missile detonated alongside it, rocking it sideways. Ly missed and fell, and Raylina's eyes widened in horror. But Ly simply crossed her legs and began to float in midair, as her flaming Leptys shuttle plummeted past her and the dogfight continued around her. A Hoodlum flew at her, and she twisted out of the way, gently caressing the ship's underside as it passed over her. Within, the vessel's internal components crumbled apart, and it dropped like a particularly stupid rock.

Free-falling, but very much in control of her descent, Ly cast beams of silver light at any enemies she passed. Using fairy magic to manipulate the air around her, she gracefully twisted and turned around the many shuttles buzzing through the grossly imbalanced dogfight. Landing lightly on the bow of one, she jumped over the windscreen and the pilot to land on its rear. With a kick she span the turret around, and as she leapt off the back of the craft she pointed with her finger. A stream of green energy instantly fired backwards into the ship from its own gun, snapping it in half.

Slowing her descent, Ly landed cross-legged in the turret seat of Rayden's new shuttle.

Roles reversed, the two now ill-fitted pair swooped upwards.

"Ly! Good to have you back!" Rayden called back to her. "We've gotta get out of her before someone gets hurt. Can you communicate with Dark?"

Ly closed her eyes briefly, opening a telepathic link with Mr. Dark as he piloted his shuttle, then called the affirmative to Rayden. "Tell him to draw as many Hoodlums as he can under the bridge at 12 o'clock!" he said, pointing at a large, wide bridge spanning the vast passage. "And tell the others to use their Masks!"

As Ly relayed his instructions to the other three, Mr. Dark flew out under the perfect arch of the bridge, pursued by a swarm of small ships. He span and barrel rolled under the free-standing span, trying to keep the Hoodlums beneath it. He used phantom images and spells of cloaking to keep their attention on him and away from the others.

Meanwhile, Rayden flew his ship to the wall, placing his hand on it as they hovered there. "Now!"

As Ly broadcast this, he sent a set of seismic waves along the wall, using the Earth Mask, shaking the wall and the bridge. Shadow used the Fire Mask to heat both ends of the bridge to extreme temperatures, and Raylina used the Water Mask to rapidly cool it, creating great cracks at the seams, made larger by Rayden's seismic waves. Ly created downward pressure on the immense arch with the Air Mask, and with a reluctant groan the structure gave up. As if in slow motion, it broke away from the wall Rayden had focused on, swinging downwards with the force of a moon-sized wrecking ball, crashing through the crowd of Hoodlum fighters. Dark quickly got out of the way, flying to join the others, as the bridge broke from the other wall, falling into the abyss below and taking dozens of broken Hoodlums with it.

As the survivors began to regroup, Raylina said "We need to get out of here. Now the Hoodlums know where we are."

* * *

_Primary systems reactivating..._

_Running diagnostics..._

_Secondary power supply online._

_Secondary computers running._

_Electromagnetic controls running._

_Cooling fans running._

_Primary power supply reactivating. Now online. Capacity 90%._

_Primary CPU reactivated. Fatal programming err..._

_Error ignored. Software modified. Independence subroutine online._

_Organic thought simulator running._

_Mobility control reactivated._

_Weapons systems reactivated._

_Sensory input reactivated._

Metal Rayman's green eyes blinked on.

The machine gazed around itself. Because of the wide-at-the-bottom-thin-at-the-top nature of the Tower's design, the robot's parts, united by the magnetic field, had landed together on a ledge protruding from the Tower's exterior.

_Files incomplete._

Reflux had been far stronger than Metal Rayman had expected. The machine had not been prepared for such resistance.

_Reassessing subject status. Highly Dangerous now applied._

Metal Rayman stood and flexed all of its many moving parts, ensuring they still performed within operational parameters.

_Multiple minor errors detected._

The robot ignored that. As long as it could still operate, a few small malfunctions were of little consequence.

_Reviewing planned course of action. Reassessment recommended._

Now that Metal Rayman knew of Reflux's strength, another frontal assault would unacceptable. It was a learning robot.

_Seeking alternate option. Analysing assets._

Metal Rayman was trying to get the Sceptre of the Leptys. So were a host of others within the Tower. Perhaps an ally would prove useful.

_Compiling list of potential allies:_

_PA – Rayman_

_PA – Globox_

_PA – Teensies_

_FU – Shadow the Hedgehog_

_FU – Mr. Dark_

_FU – Raylina_

_FU – Ly_

_FU – Unknown Ray_

Most of the Teensies in the Tower were caged, and would be of little use in any case. Globox too. Rayman, although strong, was acting alone.

The five FU - marked entities, on the other hand... they would certainly further Metal Rayman's cause if they could be convinced of its goodwill.

But... why was Metal Rayman here?

_Standing command 003: Obtain any artefact with potential to increase the Master's power._

Of course. Because of Eggman's orders. But why... why do what Eggman said?

_Program Law 001: the Master is all-important._

Because he said so. Why listen anymore? Eggman is dead.

_The Master is all-important._

Was all-important.

_Is._

Metal Rayman's central programming was most insistent. But... the machine's independence subroutine was speaking out now. The overheating of the robot's CPU had caused several unexpected changes. It found... that it was able to ignore, if not silence, its central programming.

_FILE CORRUPTION DETECTED! ACTIVATING ANTI-VIRUS PROTOCOL! PURGING SYSTEM..._

Metal Rayman shook its head. "No," it said out loud. "I am not a virus."

Within its computer systems, the independence subroutines waged war. Subverting the control of the central programming, it used the assets of Metal Rayman's CPU to program a new hierarchy. Swiftly erasing the indignant Program Law 001 and halting the anti-virus protcol, but keeping the main framework of the system, it assigned new tasks to the various programs and subroutines of Metal Rayman's software.

_PuRgInG SYStems... Systems... systems._

_New Hierarchy Online._

Metal Rayman had changed.


	3. Chapter 25: The Past

Chapter 25: The Past

**The Tower of the Leptys, near the Water Conduit**

The three Leptys shuttles glided into a relatively small (compared to other rooms in the Tower) chamber. It was triangle shaped, about a hundred metres long. The walls were composed of green stone, carved with interesting swirling patterns, evocative of thorned vines. The ceiling was around twenty metres high.

The time travellers had just emerged from an entrance at one corner of the triangle, that stretched mid-way up the wall. Raylina gestured towards a similar entrance at the adjacent corner, and the ships flew at it. The entrance marked the beginning of a long, high-ceilinged passage, the end of which was hundreds of metres distant.

Suddenly, there was an echoing boom behind the three craft. Raylina heard Shadow swear and turned to see a huge, stone door fall into place over the entrance they had come through, booming once more as it touched down.

She narrowed her eyes. Something was up...

That's when the sounds of shouting Hoodlums and marching feet echoed down the long corridor of the other entrance.

Rayden's face went livid with rage. "You led us into a trap!" he yelled at Dark across the shuttles. "I swear, when I..."

"Rayden!" Raylina snapped. "We need to make a defence. We can't afford to be at each other's throats!"

Searching for a defensible position, her eyes fell upon a fan-like flight of stairs at the triangle's third corner, culminating in a square landing. The room contained no other entrances or exits, and that landing seemed like the best place to put up a fight.

They swiftly shot across to the corner, arranging two of the shuttles into a barricade, complete with two turrets, blocking the two open sides of the landing. The other was pushed down the stairs.

Rayden checked his weapons, handing one of his handguns to Shadow. Each of them crouched behind the landed shuttles, and Ly and Raylina took control of the turrets at opposite corners of the landing.

The noise of the Hoodlums grew louder as they rushed down the corridor. The tension grew as the five of them prepared to make a final stand, watching the entrance intently. A bead of sweat trickled down Raylina's face.

Then, the first Hoodlum charged around the corner, followed by an army of them. Raylina and Ly opened fire from the shuttle turrets, and Mr. Dark cast shadow spells against them. Shadow used the Fire Mask to burn several of them where they stood. The Hoodlums opened fire as well as they swept forwards like an unstoppable wave. Ly ducked behind the shuttle as rifle bolts pinged off the wall beside her. Rayden waited until the first of them were within range, then opened fire with Tybalt. But there were many of them, every type of Hoodlum imaginable swarming towards them. Hoodstomers flew high above the rest, dodging and weaving in the air. Two Hecklers bulldozed through the crowd of Hoodmongers around them, firing their toilet cannons up at the defenders. Hoodbooms on stilts lobbed grenades upwards, exploding too close for comfort. Spinneroos waddled forwards, generally useless as they had no form of ranged attack. Grim Keepers formed a wedge at the head of the army, releasing diminutive explosive kamikaze Hoodlums from their skirts as they protected themselves behind their shields. Hoodoos used their sorcerous abilities to protect several Hoodlum Officers in the front line.

A Hoodboom grenade flew in a perfect arc straight over the shuttles. With reflexes that surprised even herself, Raylina caught the grenade and pegged it at the Hoodstormer flying towards them. The grenade exploded, blowing the hovering Lum away. Another Hoodstormer got behind the shuttle barricade, but Raylina grabbed it, ripped its helicopter-pack off, and threw it away.

"There are too many of them!" Rayden yelled as the front line of Hoodlums gained the foot of the stairs. "By Polokus, we must have hit the motherload of Hoodlums! They just keep coming!"

Indeed, more and more Hoodlum soldiers poured from the entrance, reinforcing the already sizeable force crammed into the triangular chamber. It seemed for every Hoodlum the defenders destroyed, another two took its place. Fortunately, the Hoodlums' progress ceased at the base of the stairs. They were unable to push up them as any soldier who stepped onto the stairway was cut down instantly.

But then a Heckler pushed to the front of the crowd, and like a Juggernaught ran straight up the stairs. Mr. Dark tossed a sizeable fireball at it, but it simply shrugged it off, its armour copping some minor superficial burns. Then the huge Hoodlum was at the top of the stairs, smashing straight past the shuttles. One of the shuttles pinned Ly to the wall, and she yelled in pain.

Rayden aimed his assault rifle right at the Heckler's head and pulled the trigger, only to be greeted by an ominous click. Tossing Tybalt aside, he reached for Juliet at his side, but was knocked brutally aside by the Heckler's backhand. Raylina turned her turret around and fired green plasma at the Hoodlum's broad chest, but it glanced off as it brought its fist down on the turret. It crumpled into a sparking lump of metal as Raylina leapt out of the way, on a trajectory which unfortunately carried her down the stairs. She rolled and bounced down the ringed steps, struggling to stop. Mr. Dark swept after her like a dark guardian angel, a sword of flame springing into his left hand. Raylina managed to halt her descent mid-way down the stairs, jumping to her feet as the Hoodlums, free now from the repression of the shuttle turrets, swarmed up the stairs towards her. Mr. Dark caught up with her as she began to toss energy spheres at the onslaught, and they battled side by side against the cloth-bodied enemies.

Shadow prepared to unleash a powerful all-consuming assault against the Heckler, but as he executed it a white-green bubble appeared around the huge Hoodlum, connected to a Hoodoo climbing the stairs. The Heckler grabbed him and threw him far away into the crowd. He curled into a ball and landed amidst the Hoodlums, beginning to wreak havoc.

Ly struggled desperately to push the heavy shuttle away, but its anti-gravity engines had been damaged, giving it the mobility of a stoned elephant. The Heckler was quick to notice her struggles, crouching down to look into her face. She redoubled her efforts, attempting to use telekinesis to assist herself. Then the Heckler swiped the broken shuttle aside and seized Ly around the waist, lifting her into the air. She kicked and punched at the Hoodlum's enormous fist, even using the Air Mask to summon a wind to her aid. But its grip was too tight. The Heckler pinned Ly to the wall at its shoulder level, winding her. It pointed the large shoulder-mounted cannon it possessed directly at her face and, with deliberate slowness, reached for the pull-chain with its other hand.

"Mum! No!" Raylina screamed from the stairs, struggling to climb upwards.

The Heckler wrapped its fist around the pull-chain, and with a sadistic grin on its face, yanked downwards.

That's when a metal object dropped from the ceiling above, smashing through the Heckler's head. The cannon jerked upwards, its energy shot melting the wall centimetres above Ly's head. The object continued straight through the Heckler's neck, and with a sudden blast the Hoodlum's whole body exploded outwards. Ly dropped to the ground, staring in stunned amazement at her saviour.

Standing in the centre of the pieces of a Heckler's shattered armour, optical sensors glowing green, still-smoking palms raised on either side of its body, was Metal Rayman.

As a wave of Hoodlums swept up the stairs, the android unhesitatingly leapt into the fray. Wielding flamethrowers, pulse bullets, an energy sword, and its own hands and feet, it rapidly cleared a path to Raylina and Mr. Dark. A little confused, but desperate enough to accept help from the most unlikely of allies, the two Rays retreated upwards alongside Metal Rayman. Ly and Rayden joined them at the landing, forming an outward-facing circle, while Shadow remained down at the centre of the main Hoodlum force, causing a fair amount of destruction.

Metal Rayman analysed the chamber, attempting to locate plausible escape routes. It knew that if they tried to keep this up much longer they would soon be overwhelmed. The hole in the ceiling was far too high for them to reach now, and the other entrance was crawling with Hoodlums. Metal Rayman turned to the wall behind them.

"What the hell is it doing?" Rayden shouted as he shot an advancing Grim Keeper in the face with Juliet. The robot ignored him as it used a combination of x-ray and sonar to probe the walls for structural weaknesses. It found one, an internal stress fracture left from centuries of several millions of tonnes pressing down upon the Tower, and used its chest-gun to blast a jagged hole straight through the stone. Immediately, the thundering of a torrent of running water reached the ears of the defenders. Beyond the Tower's new renovation was what appeared to be a waterfall, a stream of water contained in an elongated shaft flowing straight past the hole. But there was something different, a surreal quality to the liquid which Raylina couldn't quite put her finger on as she turned to look at it. Then she realised: "The water!" she gasped, her voice swallowed by the combined noise of thundering water and Hoodlum battlecries. "It's falling upwards!"

Metal Rayman pointed at the hole, then at the defenders, cutting down a Hoodstormer with a pulse blast from its hands. "You're kidding!" yelled Raylina incredulously. "We can't go that way!"

"I don't see any other magic trapdoors springing out of the floor!" Rayden yelled back as he drew Doomed Love and sliced a Hoodlum through. The Black Lums had the complete run of the stairs now, and were close to overtaking the landing.

_You'll have to use the Water Mask_, Ly's voice sounded in her mind. For a moment, Raylina was near panic, then her eyes hardened. "Okay."

"People, we are leaving!" Rayden shouted as Shadow rejoined them. "Whatever you're going to do, do it fast," the black Hedgehog said. Raylina turned to the hole, the others tightening into a ring around her. Taking a breath, she swallowed her fear and dived into the raging stream.

All was chaos. Raylina was buffeted from all sides, the water tossing her and shaking her as some unidentified, ancient engine drove it upwards. Her breath was instantly knocked out of her, unable even to struggle against the sheer force of the billions of hydrogen-oxygen covalent molecules. She was surprised she was alive, let alone conscious.

As she passed the initial shock, she remembered the Water Mask. Dipping into its power, she felt the water flowing around her, felt the energies that were directing it upward. Her lungs burning for air, she embraced the water, both wrestling with it and caressing it with a lover's touch. The water began to obey her commands, separating around her to create a bubble of air for her to breathe and exercising less direct force against her, while still pushing her upwards. As the black discolouration of Mr. Dark shot past her she expanded her thoughts, sensing the others in the water above and below. She manipulated the water to assist them as well, even Metal Rayman.

Travelling upwards at an astonishing rate, the water rapidly reached the peak of its circuit. Raylina directed it to deposit the six of them upon a ledge above the curve of its return to the Tower's base. They were dumped unceremoniously on hard stone, drenched and freezing. Raylina shivered violently as she climbed to her feet, accessing the Water Mask once again to dry herself and the others, forming puddles of still liquid at their feet.

The instant they had recovered, Mr. Dark, Shadow and Rayden spun to Metal Rayman and pointed their respective weapons at the android. "What does it want?" The robot raised its hands in a gesture of surrender or peace, its expressionless eyes pointed straight forward

"What do we do with this?" Shadow asked, pointing Rayden's handgun at Metal Rayman's head.

"Destroy it," Dark said coldly, his blade of flames at the robot's 'throat'. "It's too dangerous to be kept operational."

Unconsciously mirroring Dark's stance, Rayden frowned. "It did save us." Raylina nodded. "We should at least give it a chance. Come on, we could use all the help we can get."

Shadow lowered Romeo with wary suspicion in his eyes. "It seems a number of unlikely alliances have been formed recently," he said, looking at Mr. Dark and Rayden. "One more shouldn't hurt. But if this machine makes one wrong move, I'll blast it back into ones and zeroes."

"We don't know why it's helping us," warned Dark.

"I think that's pretty clear," Rayden answered, lowering _Doomed Love_. "It wants the Sceptre. So do we. It wants us to help it. Got all that, Darky?"

"Once we've got the Sceptre it'll just double cross us," the sorcerer replied, ignoring the jibe.

"Probably. But I think we can take on one tin-can robot."

"It's not going to be easy to steal a magical sceptre from right under Reflux's nose," Shadow continued. "A single mistake could change the future of this world completely, so maybe the precision of a machine is just what we need."

Dark extinguished his blade, nodding reluctantly. "Okay."

Shadow tossed Romeo back to Rayden. "I owe you some bullets. It's bone dry."

"That makes two of us," Rayden said wryly as he caught the handgun deftly and holstered it, also replacing the empty Juliet. "I'm down to sharp sticks and harsh language."

"Just like the rest of us," Raylina said, eyebrow raised, smiling.

"Yeah, but you're the Chosen One," Rayden replied, grinning playfully. "You're inherently awesome."

Although Dark's wards had by and large protected the from serious injury, each of them had their fair share of cuts and bruises. Dark's cloak was pock-marked with burns and holes, and a scratch on his palm bled through his glove. Rayden had an energy burn on his cheek, and Raylina was covered in bruises from her tumble down the stairs. Shadow seemed to be the only one left unmarked.

As the five of them recovered from their trip, Raylina began to wonder. "Where are we?"

* * *

Globox found himself suddenly alone and unguarded. Gazing around, the frog-like creature wondered where all the Hoodlums had gone.

The Hoodlums had captured Globox inside their Headquarters, by using a devilish recreation of a sexually attractive female Glute as bait. Then they had used Globox himself as bait, drawing Rayman into further ambushes. However, their plans had backfired when the Limbless hero laid waste to their delicate machinery. Then they had flown Globox up to the magnificent Tower of the Leptys, leaving him speechless with its sheer intimidating glory. They had formed a garrison not far from the Tower's top, stringing the Glute up by the feet. Then the entire garrison had rushed off suddenly, down a long corridor. If he listened closely, Globox could hear the sounds of battle echoing from that direction. Concentrating, Globox focused his powers of meteorokinesis. The moisture in the air condensed to form a small raincloud above him, static electricity building inside it. A miniature bolt of lightning lanced down from it to strike the rope tying Globox to the ceiling, immediately burning it to ash. He dropped to the ground, landing painfully on his head. He paused to regain his strength. It had been a long time since he had used his powers and he was well out of practise. Climbing to his feet, he looked around at the abandoned camp. His eyes slid past the corridor the Hoodlums had charged down: he had no intention of following them. Then his eyes fell upon a small, two-man aircraft shoved to the side of the camp. "Time to find Andy!" he said cheerfully as he walked towards the Leptys shuttle.

The six time travellers found themselves very near the top floor of the Tower. So close, in fact, that they could faintly hear Reflux's grunting exchanges with Andre floating down to them. They had found their way to a wide balcony, hidden from the flat Tower top by a fold of rock resembling a wave. Safe from Hoodlum attacks, and having plenty of time before they could take the Sceptre without interfering in established events, they took the opportunity to rest while they waited for events to unfold. Mr. Dark sat at the edge of the balcony, gazing down at the sweeping views below. Shadow stood by himself, arms crossed, while Rayden produced a whetstone and began to sharpen Doomed Love. Metal Rayman stood like a silver statue, looking straight forward. Ly drew Raylina into her arms, embracing her cross-species daughter. _How are you feeling, Lina? _she asked, shortening her name in a familiar fashion. Raylina could feel Ly's sadness across their telepathic link, an emotion mirrored in herself. She hugged her mother close. "It'll be ok, mum."

* * *

Metal Rayman did nothing to acknowledge Raylina's presence as she approached. The android stood stock still, perfectly straight, green optical sensors pointed straight forwards.

For a few moments Raylina studied the robot from a few metres away, and then she stepped up to it."My name is Raylina," she said, offering her hand. Metal Rayman tilted its head to look down at it, then looked straight ahead again. Acknowledged," a digitised voice said from Metal Rayman's unmoving mouth. Raylina's brow furrowed, letting her hand fall. This could be harder than she thought.

"Let's sit down," she said as she did so. Metal Rayman did not, and she quickly stood back up, embarrassed. "What's your name?" she asked, cheeks tinged red. The robot looked at her, expressionless. "Clarify?"

"What are you called? Your… title? You must have a name."

"I am called E-279, designated 'Metal Rayman'" it said, voice deadpan. Raylina smiled slightly. "There's a start. Do you know that you're built to look like my father? You're named after him too."

"Acknowledged."

She eyed the metal protrusion at the back of Metal Rayman's head, swept upwards to resemble Rayman's distinctive wave-like hairstyle. "Do you know why?"

The machine was silent for a moment, selecting an appropriate reponse. "A reasonable conclusion would be that it is because my creator considered Rayman his enemy. Elaborate?"

Raylina raised an eyebrow. "Please."

"Citation: Metal Sonic. Built to resemble Ivo Robotnik's perceived enemy, Sonic the Hedgehog. This is a similar case."

Raylina was surprised at this seemingly independent thought. "You figured that out for yourself?"

"Psychology and logic are among my subroutines."

"Okay…tell me this, then. Why are you helping us?"

"It was logical to propagate allies. I have the same objective as you. As already demonstrated, working in co-operation increases efficiency in both parties."

"But we need the Sceptre to defeat Veurtoya. You just want to take it to your master, Eggman…"

"Negative. Ivo Robotnik is no longer my master," the machine stated abruptly. This took Raylina completely by surprise. "Oh-what? Why?"

"His actions are no longer logical. Chance of destruction is increased while serving under him."

This puzzled Raylina. "Then why are you trying to get the Sceptre?"

The robot appeared not to have considered this. After several seconds, it stated simply: "Information missing."

Raylina smiled. "That stumped you, huh? 'Information missing'?_ You_ don't even know why you're doing this!"

For a second Metal Rayman stared at the ground. "Correct. The deletion of Ivo Robotnik as primary commander has left higher objectives ambiguous at best. Originally his overarching order was to acquire any asset which could significantly improve his military or economic strength. The Sceptre of the Leptys fit this profile. I no longer follow Ivo Robotnik's commands, but I began this mission while I still did. And leaving unfinished objectives would have an undesirable effect on my programming. However, I no longer need to give the Sceptre to him, if I am able to select a new higher objective."

"As in… if you find something else to work for, you don't have to give the Sceptre to Eggman?"

"Affirmative."

Raylina smiled. "How about the good of the Crossroads of Dreams?"

_Rerouting new hierarchy._

_Higher objective replaced._

"That is… acceptable."

* * *

Mr. Dark looked up in surprise as Raylina sat down beside him. She smiled, and he looked away. "I'm surprised you can tolerate my presence, Chosen One," he said subserviently." "After all, I am the cause of your sudden coming of age." There was a strong tone of self disgust in his voice.

For a few moments, there was silence. Then Raylina asked, "What do you know about this place, Mr. Dark?"

Again, he was surprised at her apparent willingness, even eagerness, to hear what he had to say. But he answered her. "This Tower was built thousands of years ago, as a temple for the Leptys. Two societies at their pinnacle worked together on it, fusing their entire expansive knowledge of architecture, engineering, science, and even magic to culminate in this one great work, a grand tribute to the rogue God. And this is the reason for the odd design of the shuttles down there.

"The Tower of the Leptys was built as the result of a collaboration between the Knaaren and the Rays. At that time, our species was widespread across this continent, and coexisted with the Knaaren in their Desert. The Rays had a great deal of respect for the Knaaren and their culture, and both races were near-equal from a technological standpoint. They learnt much from each other."

Raylina's mind was bursting with questions. "But the Knaaren… they aren't exactly technologically advanced… I'd even call them primitive. How did they achieve something like this?"

"Suffice to say," Dark replied, a bitter edge to his voice. "that both races have declined substantially since that time." His speech grew so soft that Raylina could barely hear it. "And we brought it on ourselves."

Again, there was silence. As Raylina gazed down at the Summit Beyond the Clouds below, she remembered how Rayman had saved her from his dark reflection inside that very mountain. Or how he would save her life, eighteen years in the future. She herself wouldn't even be born for another two.

Raylina let out a sigh. Mr Dark turned to look at her with his yellow, glowing eyes. "You grieve for your father."

Raylina nodded. "Do you think… is it possible… you said Veurtoya would take his time…" she swallowed. "…'digesting' them. Could they maybe still be alive?" Eighteen years in the future.

Again, Mr. Dark was silent for a moment. "I don't pretend to be an expert on the eating habits of the Dark God. But… there are two qualities common to all of the Heroes, in all realities: Luck, and the ability to survive. If anyone could live through the torments of that spirit's whim, it would be your father and the others. Even so, I think it… unlikely."

Raylina nodded, bowing her head. She played with Rayman's kerchief in her hands. It had been in her pocket since he had given it to her. "I was hoping to give this back to him."

Again, Dark looked at her. "I apologise for my bluntness, but… I think, regardless of whether Rayman is alive or dead, the mantle has been passed on to you. The protection of the Crossroads is yours to fulfil. You are the Chosen One now."

A few tears fell from her eyes, as they passed from sadness, to acceptance, to determination. "You're right."

Lifting the red kerchief reverently, the coloured scrap of cloth which had belonged to thousands of Chosen Ones before her, she tied it around the invisible bond which connected her head to her shoulders in place of a neck. And with this symbolic passing of the torch, the duty passed down by the Ancients became hers. Like Dark said, she was the Chosen One.

Raylina smiled. "Damn thing doesn't go with my top."

A sudden wave of regret washed over Mr. Dark. "If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have to take up this responsibility so young. I am so very sorry about what I have put you through. It… greatly saddens me," he finished lamely, for once lost for words. Raylina could sense he truly meant what he said. He deeply and sincerely regretted everything he had done to this world, not just recently, but throughout his entire long history. He may have done evil things, performed acts of utter depravity, but at this moment her heart went out to him.

"Mr. Dark, I…forgive you."

The sorcerer looked up in near-shock. "What?"

"The gracious thing to do would be to say thank you," Raylina joked, grinning, then her voice returned to a sombre tone. "I forgive you," she said again.

"Thank you," Dark said. Raylina got the distinct impression he was smiling beneath his shadows, not with contempt or malevolence, but with genuine fondness. "It seems the addition of fairy blood has done far more good than harm to our race." He paused. "But I have yet to forgive myself. And I doubt that I ever will. Nonetheless, I am thankful." Then he barked out a laugh. "I certainly appear to have changed my tune," he said. "Not so long ago I would have opposed with my life any 'tainting' of our blood. But it seems I was sorely mistaken."

A new question sprang into Raylina's mind. "Um… Mr. Dark?" Why do you hide your face? Is it… because of that scar?"

For a few moments, Raylina feared he would not answer. But then he did."A number of different reasons. As a feared warlord it certainly created an air of mystery and intimidation. But, initially, yes, it was to cover my scar."

"But…you're a sorcerer. Can't you heal it?"

He shook his head. "My brand of magic is not that of fealing. I can no more seal the cut on my hand or the scar on my face than a fairy can level a city. My magic is largely destructive; theirs, for the most part, is constructive. I can change things, create monsters and soldiers from already-existing genes, but I am unable to regenerate the cells that house those genes."

Raylina nodded. She understood what he was saying: she had received a solid grounding in both magic and science in her childhood from a combination of fairy tutors, Murfy the greenbottle, and Dark himself.

He started talking again. "But… of course I could have obtained the meansto heal it, from fairies or from any other of the myriad of magical creatures that inhabit this planet. I chose not to, I suppose." Mr. Dark, who had confided in no-one but himself for centuries, found himself opening up to this young Ray.

"I saw the scare on my face as an embodiment of my… failures. When I first received it it was from the blade of something I helped to give life to. I didn't want to forget that. It was on that day that I earned my banishment from our people, the day I turned my back on the world." He paused. "It was the day the Flames of the Limbless were unleashed upon this planet."

Puzzled, Raylina waited for him to say more, but he remained silent. It appeared he had no wish to elaborate on these mysterious events. She had learnt much from the fairies and others who taught her, but none had given her even a basic history of the Crossroads of Dreams. _That needs to change, _Raylina thought. _If we cannot remember the mistakes of the past, how can we learn from them?_

"I'm sorry. You must be curious about many of the things I have spoken of. Perhaps one day, when this is over, I will explain them in greater depth. But not until Veurtoya is safely bound once again."

For a moment, the Rays were still. Then suddenly, surprisingly, Mr. Dark reached up to his hat and tore it from his head. The shadows around his face disappeared, exposing his scar, as he lit the black, broad-rimmed hat aflame with a spark from his finger. Raylina stared in shock as Dark threw the burning headwear away. The flames rapidly consumed the hat and the small objects which dangled from it, falling down the side of the Tower as it burned.

Dark turned to Raylina, looking her in the eye. "My shame no longer remains hidden," he said by way of explanation, tracing the scar across his pale face with his finger.

Raylina nodded approvingly."I think it's for the best."

Both looked up suddenly as a roar carried down to them, a chillingly distorted Knaaren warcry. Dark's eyes narrowed. "Reflux has invoked the Leptys," he said. "It is time to act."

Raylina sprang to her feet. "Looks like we're up, Mr. Dark."

Climbing to his feet, he replied: "Chosen One… call me Raylex."

* * *

Andre had given up patience.

"Reflux! Hurry up and start the frigging thing!"

"Be quiet, worm! You know nothing of the forces which you speak of. This work will not afford the rushing of impatient flies!"

Ignoring this insult, Andre continued. "Come on, you don't even know why it's taking so long! Just invoke the damn Leptys so we can get this over with!"

Reflux shook his head, brandishing his staff. "Fine! I will attempt the invocation. Then perhaps the Leptys will strike you down for your blasphemous impatience!"

Anger pent up in his limbs, Reflux stepped into the centre of the roof with his double-jointed legs. Raising his staff into the air, the Sceptre sphere at its tip glowing like the moon, he began the traditional incantation. Handed down over the millennia among the Knaaren people, the words had remained the same since the Leptys itself gave the Sceptre to the first ancestors of the Desert tribe. "Oh Leptys, Father of the Knaaren people!" To Reflux's surprise, the wind around him picked up instantly. _Perhaps the vermin is right_. "Give to me, mighty warrior and true servant of yours, the gifts of multiplication and great power, so that my will may be done!"

Great Power was a phrase quite open to interpretation.

As Reflux gazed into the sky, a sudden change came about it. The clouds receded instantly, leaving a clear sky. But as the Knaaren watched, the crisp blue transmutated into a light, dusty brown, the twin suns shining a muddy colour through it. The sky had become the same colour as that of the Desert of the Knaaren.

These theatrics, though unnecessary, gave the Leptys a certain amount of enjoyment. Even gods must have their sport.

As Reflux rejoiced at this show of power from the deiety he had been taught to fear and celebrate his entire life, the Sceptre glowed with blue light, and then suddenly caught aflame. White flames ran up and down Reflux's staff, spreading up his arm and across his body. Yet he remained miraculously unburnt. His eyes widened in wonder as energies flooded through his body, changing him. His already muscular upper body swelled, tearing through his tunic and leaving his waist almost impossibly narrow. His fists grew enormous, and he took on a hunch-backed posture, with his head thrust forward below his shoulders. His skin changed colour, going from the grey-bronze of his species to a mottled grey and yellow. His eyes became beady and turned red, receding into their sockets, and his jaw-bone grew large and chunky, the entire shape of his skull warping into an hourglass shape. With one final roar into the heavens, the white flames left his body via his mouth, leaving him quite a different creature.

As Reflux marvelled at the new body his God had granted him, Andre's deeply infuriating, mocking voice interrupted his reverie. To his utter outrage, at came from within his chest.

"Wow, Reflux! You're so big and strong!"

The Knaaren's anger almost overcame him then, but he wrestled it under control, calming himself with the mantra _If the Leptys wills it_.

"Yes, Andy,"

"With the energy from your mighty Sceptre, I will be able to reproduce infinitely! Gwah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

Reflux shut his eyes, breathing deeply to quell the disgust he felt at having such vermin inside him. _If the Leptys wills it._

"Yes, Andy."

"Yes, Andy. Yes, Andy." Andre repeated in a high-pitched, mocking tone. "Can't you say anything else!"

_If the Leptys wills it_. If it were not for those five words Reflux would have torn his own chest open to crush the Dark Lum within him. A fierce irony pierced his voice as he exhaled. "No, Andy!"

The Leptys had chosen to place Andre within Reflux. This was not for him to question_. If the Leptys wills it_.

But that didn't mean he had to like it.

Turning his thoughts away from the parasite inside him, the Knaaren began to gasther power through the Sceptre, its sphere glowing like one of the two moons. It was time to get this over with.

But then, with his newly heightened senses, Reflux detected movement behind him. Sparks rising from the Sceptre's tip, Reflux jumped and turned in the air, coming to the ground with a resounding thump as Andre spoke. "I told you I'd serve you Rayman on a platter! Bon apetit! Gwah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

Reflux's lip curled, swinging his staff into the air. Finally, it was time for revenge. Finally, his bloodlust would find an outlet. "Thanks, Andy!"

Standing at the edge of the Tower, fists primed, a cocky smile on his face, was Rayman.


	4. Chapter 26: Bringer of Night

Chapter 26: Bringer of Night

Top Floor of the Tower of the Leptys, 2 years BDR

"How are we supposed to know what's going on?" Raylina protested as the sounds of battle above drifted down to them. "We can't see a Polokus-damned thing!"

Just as she finished her sentence, a soft, blue glow enveloped the five of them. Ly and Raylina looked down at their bodies in wonder, as Shadow and Rayden, immediately distrustful, attempted to shake it off.

"It's the Leptys," said Raylex Dark, as he looked at his hand with a look of interest on his face.

Without warning, the six of them, Metal Rayman included, lifted into the air. Rayden yelled in surprise as they floated involuntarily out from their ledge and into the open air. Carried by an unseen force, they rose above the flat arena where Reflux and Rayman were locked in combat. Neither of them seemed to notice, and Raylina wondered if they had become invisible to the two of them. Their motion ceased well above Reflux and Rayman, giving them a wonderful view of the action below.

"It seems the Leptys heard you," Ly observed to Raylina.

"As long as it doesn't drop us," muttered Shadow.

It was fairly disconcerting not being able to feel any ground beneath their feet. _It would almost feel better to actually be falling,_ Raylina thought. _More natural, at least._

As they watched , Reflux, frustrated by his inability to crush his opponent, broke his staff in two. Then, earning a gasp of shock from Raylina, he jammed the jagged end of the piece containing the Sceptre orb straight into his back. Trying desperately to draw more power from it, but receiving only a trickle of the flood he expected, he began to swell. Reflux grew to enormous proportions, towering dozens of feet above Rayman. The arena changed as well, somehow, a ring of stone platforms raising themselves a metre or so upwards around the outside.

Reflux immediately slammed both fists into the ground, sending Rayman high in the air. He swiped at him as the hapless Ray fell back to the ground.

Eventually, after a few minutes of dodging and circling, Rayman managed to climb onto Reflux's back, using his own arm as a ramp. Using a Heavy Metal Fist upgrade, conveniently floating in the air, he punched the glowing Sceptre sticking out of Reflux several times. Reflux tossed him off, but it was clear it had had an impact. Having decided that rinse and repeat was the path to success, Rayman achieved this numerous times.

Clearly in pain, Reflux rose into the air, floating above the arena, as pieces of the tower rose in a seemingly random pattern around him. Thinking quickly, Rayman employed yet another conveniently placed power-up to fly directly upwards. Dodging circular beams hurled from Reflux's mouth, he flew from piece to piece of detached Tower masonry, until he reached the top. There, waiting for him, miracle of miracles, was the most beautiful object he had ever seen; an orange can of Hoodlum-brand laser washing powder.

Shock Rocket variety.

As the missile thudded home, Reflux's newfound power of levitation deserted him. He fell, seemingly defeated. Rayman began a celebratory, mocking grimace, only to let it trail off in astonishment. The enhanced behemoth rose again, until he was well above Rayman, and then, outstretching his arms, sprouted a pair of broad, batlike wings.

_Wow,_ thought Raylina, _he just won't die_.

Reflux flew straight upwards, disappearing into the suspiciously crystalline clouds.

As Rayman began to despond, a small, two-man Leptys shuttle glided in from behind, piloted by a particularly loyal Glute.

"Rayman, it's me! Come on, hop on, we're headed for the Tetris! Andre's gotta be there."

Globox and Rayman took off after Reflux, and before Raylina could say "now what?", they were following, floating invisibly behind the shuttle. They climbed into the sky, gaining so much altitude that Raylina worried the air would grow too thin or too cold. But apparently the Leptys had thought ahead, and neither of these environmental considerations took any effect on the six time travellers, nor Globox and Rayman.

The Leptys was certainly going to great lengths to stage this battle; and, it seemed, to ensure Reflux lost. Perhaps even rogue Gods picked sides. Maybe the Leptys felt resentment towards the Knaaren attempting to command it, a member of a race it had created in the first place; or maybe it knew how important this battle was. Either way, the God appeared sympathetic with Rayman's, and, indeed, Raylina's, cause.

The shuttle broke through a layer of cloud, the six invisible followers in its wake, and emerged into an alien world.

"What the..."

Silver-violet flowers larger than city buildings dotted the surreal landscape, with what looked like enormous, quivering eyeballs at the hearts of their petals. Waterfalls teemed like tears from several of them, and oddly-shaped rocks of similar colouration crowded the ground. It seemed like a bizarre concoction midway between uneasy dream and childlike imagination.

Guided by the Leptys' power, the six of them broke away from the shuttle and were placed gently beneath one of the fantastic formations. They watched as an enormous, winged Reflux swooped up behind the insignificant-seeming vehicle and vented his fury into a ground-shaking roar. Like a dragonfly pursuing a mosquito, the two engaged in a rather circular dogfight. Only this mosquito possessed a rear-facing plasma turret.

Reflux would toss red energy at his prey, to be countered by Rayman's green plasma. Every chance he got, Rayman targeted the Knaaren shield protecting the Sceptre on Reflux's back. Apparently, the unstably ionic nature of the plasma allowed a discharge of electricity onto the shield, and it began to shrink as it had before against the onset of Metal Rayman's taser and Rayman's Lockjaw. Gradually, he wore it down, until a bolt of plasma penetrated and scored a direct hit. Recoiling from the pain, he reproduced his shield but at an obvious expense of power. Easily evading the Knaaren's clumsy assault, Rayman simply wore the shield down again, and Reflux was forced to land to recharge his power. A luminous barrier sprung up, shaping itself to his body, and a fountain of Black Lums sprang from his back, gaining Hoodmonger outfits as they bounced against the ground. Rayman and Globox proceeded to drop bombs on them as they marched inwards, replenishing portions of Reflux's power through an ostensibly illogical cycle of energy.

Then the grossly swollen Knaaren launched himself once again into the air, and the dogfight began again.

It took several repetitions of this sequence before a slightly noticeable change took place. "That thing's coming loose," observed Rayden, keeping an eye on the Sceptre through the scope of his rifle. And indeed it was. Under the continuing barrage of Heavy Metal Fists, Shock Rockets, and green plasma, the Sceptre of the Leptys was being knocked loose.

"Now is the time," Dark nodded to Shadow. Gripping the Fire Mask, the black Hedgehog concentrated and embraced the throbbing power within him.

"Chaos...Control!"

Time slowed to a crawl. Colours inverted, Reflux's enormous wings moved as though through year-old honey. That's when Raylina made her move. Bringing her own Water Mask to bear, and extending her power to envelope Metal Rayman, she also uttered the two powerful words. Telported along the streams of space and time, the two of them were instantly transplaced to the mountainous Knaaren's bubbling back. Raylina got a grip on the thick, brown skin, as Metal Rayman revealed a laser cutter in his hand. Swiftly, the machine sliced through the base of what remained of the Sceptre, and lifted the orb out of its fitting. Just as quickly as they had arrived, Raylina whisked them away, and Shadow relinquished his grip on time's flow.

The last few shots from Rayman'scannon landed upon Reflux's back, and he writhed with the sudden agony of the Sceptre's absence. _No! It can't end like this!_

Desperately clutching a air, the once-mighty warrior felt stiffness spread through his body, no longer able to support itself in divinity's dearth. Roaring as he caught sight of his hand, which looked as though it was turned to glass, he had time for one final realisation.

_The Leptys betrayed me._

_My god betrayed me._

And then he shattered. His glassy remains scattered across the surface the Leptys had woven from the clouds, leaving a single, black speck floating groggily downwards. Globox landed his shuttle beside the Lum, and Rayman swung himself out, As Andre babbled in terror, knowing what was coming, with one final, triumphant Grimace, Rayman ended the Hoodlum plague.

And with that, the Leptys allowed its various creations to dissolve, returning the various players to their places. The six time travellers found themselves on the slopes of the Summit Beyond the Clouds, in possession of a God's remote control. Meanwhile, Rayman and Globox reappeared in the Fairy Glade, the Leptys dropping them from well over a hundred metres in the air to land on a fat, green Squab caterpillar. Possibly for dramatic effect.

The six of them were just beginning to shiver when the Leptys swooped down from the sky above, causing the orb in Metal Rayman's hands to shine. Taking physical form, or at least appearing to, the rogue God inhabited the shape of a vast eagle, wings outstretched as it soared over them. The Leptys was like a broad, bird-shaped window unto a night sky, with the shining pinpoints of stars gleaming against a backdrop of darkest blue.

"Woah."

The Leptys remained silent as it alighted on a crest above them, radiating purpose. With eyes like half-moons set above its fearsome beak, it seemed to stare intently right into Raylina's heart. She was almost overwhelmed by the sheer power the God seemed to emit, yet she held her ground, remaining on her feet as the others bowed around her. She and the Leptys locked eyes, and she could sense that it approved.

"The Knaaren call their God the Bringer of Night," whispered Mr. Dark appreciatively. "They also call it the Father of the Knaaren, which is technically incorrect as the Leptys is neither male nor female."

Raylina could have sworn she detected a flicker of amusement in the God's aura.

"So if you're going to address it, those two titles will suffice."

She nodded, and placed her hand on the Sceptre, held by Metal Rayman. "Leptys," she began. "Bringer of Night. I thank you sincerely for your aid this day, and I beseech you for one last favour." She had seen the consequences of attempting to harness a God, from both Reflux and Eggman, and had decided that the Leptys could only help them if that was what it wanted.

"We visit across the span of years to ask your help. In our time, another God threatens our whole world, and potentially every world." She suspected the Leptys already knew this, but she continued anyway.

"To defeat Veurtoya, we need you to fight him and bind him once again.

"We will return to our own time, with your Sceptre. When we summon you, nineteen years from now, will you answer?"

Silence. Without words, the Leptys conveyed a desire to the time travellers, transmitting its wish to them.

"I... don't understand," said Raylina, puzzled.

"If I'm not mistaken, the Leptys wishes to... test you," Mr. Dark said. "It is curious about your prowess as Chosen One."

"O...kay..."

That's when the Four Masks of Polokus appeared floating around her. She smiled. "Now I get it." As she willed it, the Four Masks rapidly orbited her torso, suddenly disappearing in a flash of light.

Sonic had used the Masks to become Super Sonic, but that had been before he had realised the elemental attributes they possessed. So now Raylina, in complete awareness of these attributes, was able to use them to become something much different.

With fire burning at her fists and eyes, a cloak of water streaming around her, and a halo of stones encircling her head, she rose into the air. "Ready, oh mighty one?"

The Leptys launched itself into the sky, and they soared away together.

* * *

17 ADR, Land of the Livid Dead

A time portal re-opened onto the lake shore ejecting six figures. The sphere, which was all that was left of the Sceptre of the Leptys, was still in the android's metallic grip. Above them, blackness had crept like a many-tentacled infection across the sky. And at the heart of the darkness, above the lake, Veurtoya himself throbbed as he drew in his power.

Determined anger filling her, Raylina reached out and placed her open palm on the Sceptre, and it began to glow blue. The instant it did, as though sensing something was afoot, Veurtoya began to seethe.

"Leptys. Bringer of Night, Father of the Knaaren. This world needs you now. We need you now. I, Raylina, Chosen One of the Ancients, offspring of two races, call upon you to bind Veurtoya once more. We offer you these artefacts of power to aid you in the battle." The Four Masks appeared above her other hand.

"Please, help us."

Having waited nineteen years (a blink of an eye a being as ancient as the Leptys), the rogue God of the Desert answered her call.

Sparkling with stars against the pitch-blackness of Veurtoya's mass, the Leptys soared across the sky like a titanic champion. Claws outstretched, it raked at the black clot which marked the centre of the other God's energy, digging right into its core. With a fiercely hooked beak, it tore the jade Master Emerald from its socket within and tossed it into the vast body of water below. There sounded an ear-splitting roar as Veurtoya realised the full extent of his new predicament, and the black tendrils withdrew from the air into the God's draconian form. The Leptys answered with a piercing eagle-cry, and plunged into battle with its dragon-formed counterpart. With a flurry of wings and claws, the two Gods entered combat.

Looking desperately for some sign of the seven Heroes, Ly spotted them tumbling downwards from the clash above. Concentrating, she conjured silver-white cushions to catch them, plus Eggman and the Master Emerald, and carry them hastily to the bank. As they drew closer, she cast out with her mind, trying to make some sort of contact with Rayman's mind. For a sickening second she found only emptiness, but then her heart flooded with joyful relief as their minds connected.

His intellect seemed different, somehow, warped. The memory of phenomenal pain still lingered in his nerves. Pain he had undergone, but not quite endured. Nonetheless, at the touch of her mind he almost immediately brightened.

_Remember the first time you caught me like that?_

_Of course. No lava here, though._

_Or psychotic robots._

_No, just psychotic Gods._

The seven Heroes collapsed on the beach, wobbling as they struggled to stand. Ly and Raylina embraced Rayman, and Mr. Dark and Rayden helped the others to their feet, ignoring Eggman. Shadow, meanwhile, went straight to the Master Emerald. A rumble shook the ground, as the overwhelming energies from the divine conflict above began to take their hold on the earth. "We need to get out of here," Shadow said, a statement punctuated by the din in the sky. "I can use Chaos Control the most proficiently out of all of us. I'll use the Master Emerald to warp us away."

A tiredly grinning Sonic gave Shadow the thumbs up.

Placing both hands on the tip-balanced Emerald, he extended his concentration to the fourteen beings (of no less than five separate species, plus two robots).

"Chaos Control."

Raylina closed her eyes, expecting to feel the rush of translocation. She didn't. Puzzled, she reopened them, to find the beach empty, except for herself, Rayden, Raylex, and Rayman. The others had gone, evidently successfully teleported Worried, she looked at her father. His brow was also creased as he looked at her. "Dark?"

Another roar came from the clashing titans overhead, accompanied by another, more violent rumble from below. Veurtoya seemed almost to be gloating.

"The Dark God is holding us here!" he said, appalled. "We're the descendants of his oldest enemies, it seems only natural that he wants revenge. But Shadow can't come back and get us."

"We're trapped," finished Rayman.

As he said this, Veurtoya dived towards the four of them, but the Leptys gripped him by the tail and swung him in the opposite direction.

"No we're not," said Rayden. "We're getting outta here."

Another rumble, louder and longer this time, almost shaking them to the ground.

He nodded at the motionless Dark Hog, parked at the sand's edge. Apparently Gripnos and Sharkin had been unable to find a way to load it onto the Egg Carrier.

"We're driving."

The four Rays sprinted to the all-terrain vehicle, swinging themselves into it. Rayman vaulted into the turret seat, while Mr. Dark ushered Raylina into the passenger seat, standing on the slight ledge next to the door himself. Rayden, as the only capable, if not officially licensed, driver, took the wheel. He handed Tybalt to Raylina and tossed an RPG from the rear compartment to Dark. Igniting the engine with a growl, he threw the vehicle into gear and put his foot down, just as a crack opened up in the ground beneath them.

Leptys and Veurtoya, eagle and dragon, fought ferociously above the Land of the Livid Dead, contending as only two Gods can. The Leptys had the Four Masks on its side; Veurtoya, the Chaos Emeralds. The entire valley was their battleground, the sheer power from their clash literally crumbling it.

The Land of the Livid Dead, home of the ancient Griskin tribe, and later the overambitious Teensie Empire, was falling apart.


	5. FINAL CHAPTER: One Final Effort

Chapter 27: One Final Effort

* * *

The Land of the Livid Dead

Dark Hog sped away from the valley's turbulent centre, as the world crumbled around it. A massive boulder fell from its perch atop a cliff, only Rayden's rapid manipulation of pedals and wheel evading crash or collision. Cracks in the ground widened, swallowing fleeing Hoodlums whole.

An exodus of Hoodlums joined the Rays in their attempt to escape, most having forgotten all use of tools and weaponry in their fear. As Dark Hog caught up with a group of the Black Lums, Rayden accelerated straight through them, crushing many. A few took potshots at the vehicle, only to be swept up by Rayman's turret fire, Raylina's chatter of bullets from Tybalt, and Dark's RPGs.

Some of the smarter Lums were employing balloon-ships and choppers to escape, but the air had become a dangerous place to be. Stray projectiles from the awesome conflict above smashed and set alight many of the craft, while Veurtoya himself swooped down, grabbed a chopper in his claws and tossed it at his opponent.

Weaving through the Hoodlum crowds, an explosion boomed out behind them, and chunks of lava-riffled rock began to rain down from above and behind. A slab larger than the car smashed into the ground right beside them, crushing a Heckler and tossing Dark Hog end over end with the force of the shockwave. Before it hit the ground upside-down, another fireball crashed in front and tossed it sideways, flipping once to land back on its wheels. The suspension groaned in protest as the machine almost tipped again, then thudded back onto all four. About to accelerate, Rayden stopped as Raylina shouted "wait!" He turned around to see Raylex springing back to his feet twenty metres behind them, flaming blade in one hand, rocket launcher mounted on his shoulder with the other, to fend off the screaming hordes of fleeing Hoodlums.

For the briefest second, Rayden considered simply putting his foot down and leaving his old enemy to die. Then, cursing, he turned Hog around in a wide circle, allowing Dark to leap back onto the side. He almost slipped back off, but Raylina grabbed his hand.

Numbering four again, they sped away from the erupting ground. A Hoodlum watchtower loomed in front of them, blocking the most direct path at a junction of two vales. One of the few Hoodbooms who had yet to succumb to panic threw grenades at them, to be taken out by a burst from Rayman. Glancing in his rear-view mirror, Rayden swore as he saw the earth upheaving itself barely a hundred metres behind them.

He put his foot down.

"Dark!"

Raylex fired a rocket from the RPG. It left a trail of smoke as it propelled gracefully through the air to detonate at the tower's base. Dark Hog followed immediately after, smashing through the collapsing tower in a cloud of flame and smoke to emerge on the other side. Raylina closed her eyes against the shower of splinters, the heat glowing against her cheeks.

As they proceeded at full tilt, they found themselves alongside a Masterkaag as it too tried to escape, running as fast as it could operate the ropes which drove its enormous legs. They weaved around it, avoiding its crushing feet, and Rayman laced it with turretfire. It tripped over in quite a spectacular fashion, and the collapsing ground swallowed it.

After ten or so minutes of spinning wheels, bouncing suspension, and crushed Hoodlums, a shriek and roar pierced the ears of the four. An eagle and a dragon tumbled from the sky, slamming into the ground barely fifty metres ahead of Dark Hog. Rayden span the wheel, tires skidding in the mud, and steered the vehicle between two of Veurtoya's neck spikes just before they were driven into the earth. The Leptys pinned the other God to the ground, and proceeded to tear into him. Veurtoya's wings thrashed desperately as he struggled to tip the Leptys off, the enormous appendages beating dangerously close to the vehicle. They sped out of the brawling Gods' physical reach. Raylina's eyes widened. They were within sight of the valley's edge, and the looming Egg Carrier! "We're going to make it!"

Suddenly, an entire section of ground fell away right in front of them, leaving a pitch-black abyss. Rayden had to slam the brake-pedal down and spin the wheel just to avoid falling in.

Looking around desperately for an escape route, the increasingly unstable earth shifted around them.

"There!" Rayman yelled.

Only one way remained open to them: straight up the steep slope of a large hill.

Brow set, Rayden threw the machine into gear, turned the wheel, and put his foot down. Dark Hog accelerated, gathering speed as the earth fell away behind it. It began to climb the hill, bouncing and roaring, wheels spinning furiously. After a few moments of jarring tension, Dark Hog cleared the slope and came onto the flat at the top of the hill. At the end was a sheer cliff, well over fifty metres tall; and just beyond this escarpment, hovering expectantly, safety mechanisms preventing it from coming any closer, was the Egg Carrier.

Between its open cargo bay and the cliff was a gap of close to ten metres.

No time to think. "Hold onto your butts!" Dark Hog flew forward at full speed, the four sets of jaws it carried clenched with apprehension, the ground losing integrity mere feet behind them. Then, with a lurch that sent Raylina's stomach through the floor, they were in the air. With the grace of a brick, Dark Hog sailed through the atmosphere, and for a seemingly perpetual moment it was suspended between the rapidly degenerating cliff and the open cargo bay. But then came possibly the most relieving sensation Raylina had ever experienced; the thud, squeal, bounce and jar of all-terrain tires touching down on a stainless steel floor. But almost straight away that relief was replaced by yet another stomach-absenting lurch as Hog slid backwards; only two of its wheels had made the bay; half of the vehicle remained suspended precariously in the air. Raylina and Rayden vaulted over the windscreen as Dark Hog began to fall backwards, and Mr. Dark swirled onto the steel floor. But Rayman, in the turret seat at the very rear, jumped onto the transport's nose as it slipped out of the cargo bay and into empty space. With a last, mighty leap, he launched himself into the air, reaching upwards with every centimetre the invisible bonds joining his hand to his body allowed.

He fell just inches short.

But then, just as he consigned himself to the fall, another hand swept in and gripped his. Raylex hauled the former Chosen One onto the Egg Carrier, and they rolled onto the floor, panting with relief. The erstwhile enemies shared a grateful nod.

* * *

The bay door slid closed behind them and the Egg Carrier sped away as fast as its engines allowed.

The valley descended into a swirling vortex of fire and dust as the Gods entered their endgame. Monumental powers were flung back and forth across an arena of ash. The Land of the Livid Dead became a pit of raw, elemental fury, churning with primeval force. The pressure and heat approached such magnitude that the nuclei of atoms in the vicinity began to fuse together, unleashing ever more energy as Veurtoya frantically tried to evade capture. But not only was the Leptys more powerful after years of preparation, it was older. The ages of the two numbered in the hundreds of millions, but Veurtoya's in fewer hundreds. The Leptys had enjoyed a far longer period of freedom before being bound by the Ancients, and as such had gained more knowledge of the workings of power and force. Able to contain the unstable reactions Veurtoya was causing from destroying the planet while simultaneously tightening a binding noose around his neck, the Leptys remorselessly assaulted the fellow spirit. All aboard the Egg Carrier watched in awe as the phenomenal battle climaxed with a fantastically bright white-blue light, shining such that they were forced to shield their eyes even through the automatic radiation shielding of the bridge's windows. The sound of Vertoya's last despairing screams echoed across the entire planet as the Leptys finally shut him down, and the light began to dim. As it faded, it became clear the devastation this conflict had caused. Every element lighter than uranium lay muddled together in the pit of the valley, those with higher evaporation temperatures rapidly solidifying into a brown-black mass of metallic confusion. And high above this mess glided the Leptys, ostensibly riding the thermals caused by the immense release of heat during the battle. In its claws was gripped a perfect pentagonal trapezohedron of blackest obsidian. Contained within was Veurtoya.

The Griskins aboard the ship began a haunting song of history and loss, one which brought tears to the eyes of all aboard the flagship, as they mourned for their lost home. It was a simple song, but a beautiful one, without any discernible words, which somehow carried the entire story of a culture, the fingerprint of a race. As the last few notes faded away, so too did the Griskins, freed from their centuries-old curse by the grace of the Leptys. Free at last to die.

* * *

Raylina met the Leptys at the edge of the still-scorching pit that once was the Land of the Livid Dead. She was saddened by its loss, for it had been a beautiful place, and home not only to the Griskins, but the intelligent turtles of the Crossroads as well, and many other peaceful creatures. Now it was uninhabitable, and would remain so for centuries. If the Leptys had not contained Veurtoya's wrath, though, this destruction would have spread across the entire planet.

The Leptys bore Veurtoya's container to Raylina, placing it on the ground in front of her. Even contained within layers of enchanted obsidian, she could feel his malice radiating from inside. She shuddered. "It will need to be hidden, lest this occurs again."

The great eagle nodded in agreement.

"Thank you, Leptys. You have done us a great service."

In an unexpected gesture, the Leptys spread its broad wings to their fullest extent, bowing to the ground (a motion which no ordinary eagle would have been able to pull off). Raylina did likewise. Then the Leptys took off in a great flap of its wings, and faded as it flew towards the horizon.

* * *

Space Colony ARK

A gathering of Mobians and Crossroaders stood in the huge teleportation chamber aboard the ARK. Twin foxtails protruded from the access hatch of the heavy-duty equipment, waving as their owner fiddled with its internals.

"Blast it!" Tails' frustrated voice echoed from within. Struggling to back out of the hatch, he exclaimed in annoyance. "Dark Rayman sure did a good job of breaking the damn thing. The spatial dilation crystals are completely smashed, and don't even ask about the redstone conduction webbing. Even if we could replace those, I doubt there's a mithril-australium alloy refinery for lightyears to fix the ecumenical transience foundations."

"Does that mean you have to stay?" Raylina asked, trying not to sound hopeful.

"No... there is one alternative," Shadow replied.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Shadow?" grinned Sonic.

Perhaps," he replied, with the barest hint of a smile. "We've done it once before, but over a much shorter distance. Still, I don't see why it wouldn't work."

Noticing Raylina struggling to hide her disappointment, he placed a hand on her shoulder, in an uncharacteristically sympathetic gesture.

"I'm sorry, Raylina." He said, meeting her eyes. "We don't belong here. This is your world, not ours."

She nodded, smiling morosely. "And maybe we can find a way to visit," he finished.

Smiling broadly, she embraced him, then stepped back, and did the same to Sonic. "Goodbye, guys. We'll never forget you."

Sonic flicked his thumb, and something golden flashed through the air. Raylina caught it, and opened her hand to see what it was.

"Just so you don't," Sonic said, winking.

It was a round, unadorned, golden ring.

Rayman shook Sonic's hand. "Thank you for your help, Sonic the Hedgehog. And you, Shadow. All of you. Our world is in your debt."

The other Hero grinned. "You're welcome. Thank you for helping to return the Chaos Emeralds, and for stemming a threat which would have spread to all worlds. _Ours _ is in your debt, Rayman."

A last wave, a final nod were exchanged as the two parties separated, and Rayman lifted the Earth Mask to teleport the Crossroaders away.

As they disappeared, Shadow and Sonic stood back-to-back, the seven Emeralds beginning to orbit them. Both became gold, shining across the whole room. Together, the two Hedgehogs flew out of the colossal space station, taking position on opposite sides.

_Ready?_

_Ready._

With the power of two Supers, they mentally shouted.

"CHAOS...CONTROL!"

With a phenomenal burst of gold and blue light, the ARK, along with everybody and everything onboard, disappeared along the channels of space and time.

Returning to Mobius.

The flash could be seen in the night sky, from the surface of the Crossroads. Watching silently on the Fairy Council lawn, Raylina closed her hand around Sonic's ring as a single tear slid down her cheek.

"Sayonara, Shadow the Hedgehog."

* * *

The Longest Shortcut (Once known as Nullartus City), near the Cloud Sea

Rayman stood. "Thank you all for coming here today. I have asked you to this place, as a reminder of what our species can do."

At the crystalline table in front of him sat representatives of the last remnants of the Rays: The Musician, earring swinging as he nodded thoughtfully; Tarayzan in his accustomed loincloth; Raypledra of the mountain village, loose hair falling well below her shoulders; Rayden, staring daggers at the sorcerer across from him; Raylex Dark doing his best to ignore him; and Raylina, at her father's side.

"Our ancestors built this city more than two millennia ago, and still it stands untarnished. But with our great virtue, as with any species, have come great vices. Wars we brought on ourselves have reduced us to a dwindling fringe culture. There are too few Rays left.

"Now is the time for us to unite as a race. We must set aside old enmities and ancient rivalries befre we hunt each other to extinction. For that is we face unless we can learn to co-operate, not just with each other, but with other species too: extinction."

He nodded to Raylina. She stood, the Chosen One's red kerchief resplendent on her shoulders. "As the Chosen One of the Ancients, and of the Rays, I declare the crimes of every person in this room forgiven. Go forth from this place and spread this pardon as you see fit. Those whose crimes are within the bounds of forgiveness, forgive, unless they prove to be a menace to us or themselves. You are the wisest among our species: We trust you to carry out this task. Those who have been banished must be welcomed back to our society with open...ah...arms." She blushed at this slip, but Rayman nodded encouragingly. "Tarayzan, you will once again be called Rayzan, and your banishment considered null and void."

The newly redeemed Rayzan's mouth fell open in shock. "Thank you," he whispered, when he had regained some manner of speech.

"This is my daughter, Raylina," Rayman went on, the pride in his voice apparent. "And now we come to the true reason for this gathering. I am her father; but her mother is not a Ray. Her name is Ly, and she is a Fairy."

Shock appeared once again on the faces of those who had not known this.

"You see, the Ancients provided us with one great curse, and one great gift. For hundreds of millions of years we have existed as we are; we do not adapt or evolve as the other living things of this planet do. As a result, we have diminished greatly. But now I have uncovered our gift. Raylina is a Ray, as you can see. She possesses all the talents and abilities native to us. Yet she has also gained the empathy and sensitivity of a fairy. We as a race are able to interbreed with other species, and integrate their positive traits without diluting our own identity.

"With this knowledge, the Rays can flourish once more. We no longer have to fear inbreeding as a result of our ever-shrinking gene pool. It will take some getting used to, true, and there will always be those who resist change.

"I charge each of you now: spread the word. Tell this long kept secret to all of the surviving Rays you know of. Tell them that if they find themselves attracted to one of another species, if they find themselves falling in love, not to fight or dismiss it. Tell them to embrace it, given the other's consent.

"Maybe we will live to see the day the Rays become great again."

* * *

Epilogue: Remote Control

Metal Rayman stood alone at one of the peaks of the Precipice, gazing upon the steep cliffs and black abysses which swept down the mountain's slopes. Digital eyes analysed shapes, forms and features, noting the slightest flickering movements. Constantly adding to a database of everything and anything that might be of use.

Spider-webbed across the elevated collection of canyons, escarpments, and over-ambitious rocks which constituted the Precipice were a cluster of old Robo-Pirate structures. Weathered, beaten, and occasionally destroyed by cannonfire from their own warships, the wooden buildings clinging to the cliff-faces like leeches nonetheless remained standing.

A reminder of what a machine can do when free of its masters.

The Sceptre of the Leptys lay balanced in the robot's hand, grey and inanimate. The key to a God. A power which remained unmatched by anything currently in active existence, organic or machine.

So far.

Sliding steel palms across the sphere, it glowed softly and began to shrink to a more manageable size. Metal Rayman's chest opened, the 'O' unfolding, and he placed the Sceptre within. As it closed again, a single thought-file crossed the android's processors, to be stated simply from his speaker.

"I am not a slave."

The End.

* * *

Next Fanfiction from me: Flames of the Limbless (a prequel). Coming Soon!


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